3D‐Printable, Honeycomb‐Inspired Tissue‐Like Bioelectrodes for Patient‐Specific Neural Interface

The unique gyral patterns of the human brain demand patient-specific neural interfaces to achieve precise neuromodulation, mitigate adverse tissue responses, and optimize therapeutic efficacy and safety. One-size-fits-all, conventional rigid electrocorticography (ECoG) electrodes, standardized for mass production through lithographic techniques, exhibit limited conformability to the brain's heterogeneous cortical topography. This mechanical mismatch results in poor electrode-tissue contact, signal loss, and foreign body responses. To address these limitations, we present an integrated novel platform, synergizing MRI-based anatomical mapping, finite element analysis (FEA)-optimized mechanical design, and direct ink writing (DIW) 3D printing to fabricate electrodes customized to individual gyral patterns. The resulting honeycomb-inspired printable gel electrode (HiPGE) employs a bioinspired honeycomb architecture with ultra-soft hydrogels, engineered to match the bending stiffness of brain tissue (0.1-10 kPa) while maintaining cost-efficiency and long-term durability. This mechanical congruence ensures exceptional cortical conformability and adaptive interfacing, circumventing the geometric and material limitations of traditional rigid electrodes. By combining patient-specific design with scalable fabrication, our platform establishes a transformative framework for neural interface engineering, enhancing precision, biocompatibility, and functional performance in neuromodulation therapies and neuroprosthetic applications.

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Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Materials
Published
2026-03-14
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202516291
Primary Topic
Neuroscience and Neural Engineering
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

3D‐Printable, Honeycomb‐Inspired Tissue‐Like Bioelectrodes for Patient‐Specific Neural Interface

L. Huang, Xiaoai Chen, Samuel Cramer, Xinyi Wang et al.
Advanced Materials
Neuroscience and Neural Engineering
article

3D‐Printable, Honeycomb‐Inspired Tissue‐Like Bioelectrodes for Patient‐Specific Neural Interface

L. Huang, Xiaoai Chen, Samuel Cramer, Xinyi Wang, Salahuddin Ahmed, Marzia Momin, Jiashu Ren, Basma AlMahmood, Nanyin Zhang, Tao Zhou, Hyunjin Lee, Luyi Feng, Sulin Zhang
article en

Abstract

The unique gyral patterns of the human brain demand patient-specific neural interfaces to achieve precise neuromodulation, mitigate adverse tissue responses, and optimize therapeutic efficacy and safety. One-size-fits-all, conventional rigid electrocorticography (ECoG) electrodes, standardized for mass production through lithographic techniques, exhibit limited conformability to the brain's heterogeneous cortical topography. This mechanical mismatch results in poor electrode-tissue contact, signal loss, and foreign body responses. To address these limitations, we present an integrated novel platform, synergizing MRI-based anatomical mapping, finite element analysis (FEA)-optimized mechanical design, and direct ink writing (DIW) 3D printing to fabricate electrodes customized to individual gyral patterns. The resulting honeycomb-inspired printable gel electrode (HiPGE) employs a bioinspired honeycomb architecture with ultra-soft hydrogels, engineered to match the bending stiffness of brain tissue (0.1-10 kPa) while maintaining cost-efficiency and long-term durability. This mechanical congruence ensures exceptional cortical conformability and adaptive interfacing, circumventing the geometric and material limitations of traditional rigid electrodes. By combining patient-specific design with scalable fabrication, our platform establishes a transformative framework for neural interface engineering, enhancing precision, biocompatibility, and functional performance in neuromodulation therapies and neuroprosthetic applications.

Advanced Materials
Pennsylvania State University (US)
Openalex Percentile: Top 22%
Neuroscience and Neural Engineering
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