Descrizione del progetto
Insieme, ma divisi: ioni ed elettroni uniscono le forze nella bioelettronica innovativa
Le interfacce cervello-computer permettono al cervello di comunicare con un dispositivo esterno e viceversa, alcune effettuano l’una o l’altra funzione e alcune entrambe. Nel settore medico stanno aiutando le persone affette da funzione neuromuscolare alterata a fare muovere i propri arti. Inoltre, possono assistere le persone a impiegare sistemi diversi da quelli naturali o eventualmente aiutarci a prestare maggiore attenzione al lavoro o ad arginare pensieri depressivi. Il progetto MITICS, finanziato dall’UE, realizzerà un’elettronica organica innovativa per applicazioni sanitarie avvalendosi del trasporto di ioni nei transistor e del trasporto a lunga distanza degli elettroni. Tramite la riduzione della perdita del segnale e la promozione del movimento efficiente di ampio raggio degli elettroni, alcuni scienziati ottimizzeranno le risposte a segnali molto piccoli favorendo l’affermarsi di interfacce cervello-computer meno invasive.
Obiettivo
MITICS will interface living systems with modern microelectronics creating major breakthroughs notably in healthcare. We target alternative materials, advanced processing know-how and insights in device architectures to reach the following main twofold objective: Develop high-gain (> 15) and low-power complementary circuits based on Organic ElectroChemical Transistors (OECTs) to be used as amplifying transducers and design ultra-conformable OECT arrays that mitigate losses in signal quality (signal-to-noise ratio > 30dB higher than conventional electrodes), enabling less invasive Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs).
To reach this overarching objective, we envision a radically-new science-enabled technology that rests on a completely novel material engineering approach combined with highly advanced characterization methods. We will take advantage of a unique molecular architecture strategy spatially separating ion- and electron-transport pathways to ensure volumetric ion injection and transport in order to optimize the uptake and release of ions in the transistor channel and to promote efficient, long-range, electronic charge transport so as to maximize the response of the transistors to very weak signals.
In contrast to field-effect transistors, where charge flows through a thin interfacial region, the identifying characteristic of OECTs I s that polymer doping occurs over the entire volume of the channel, thereby allowing for large modulations in drain current at low-gate voltages. We will seek for organic material architectures maximizing the electronic mobility volumetric capacitance, develop high-gain and low-power complementary circuits based on printed OECTs, and use these as amplifying transducers in the context of Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) that mitigate losses in signal quality due to the dura, the skull and the scalp, thereby enabling less-invasive BCIs.
Campo scientifico
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Vedi altri progetti per questo bandoBando secondario
H2020-FETOPEN-2018-2019-2020-01
Meccanismo di finanziamento
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinatore
3001 Leuven
Belgio