Feature: Sensors
Institute Of Photonic Sciences (ICFO), with the prototype adapted with assistance from the August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS). Whilst researchers have for decades been
using electrode arrays to record the brain’s electrical activity, using graphene to do so is new. Electrode arrays map activity in different parts of the brain to monitor its operations. Until now, however, these arrays have only been able to detect activity over a certain frequency threshold. Te new technology developed by Graphene Flagship partners has overcome this technical limitation. Te use of graphene to build this new
architecture means the resulting implant can support many more recording sites than a standard electrode array. Being slim and flexible, it can be applied to large areas of the cortex without being rejected or interfering with normal brain function. Tis ground- breaking technology could change the way we record and view electrical activity from the brain. Future applications will give unprecedented insights into how and where seizures begin and end, enabling new approaches to their diagnosis and treatment. “Beyond epilepsy, this precise mapping
and interaction with the brain has other exciting applications,” said José Antonio Garrido, ICN2. “In contrast to the standard, passive electrodes, our active graphene- based transistor technology will boost the implementation of novel multiplexing strategies that increase dramatically the number of recording sites in the brain, leading the development of a new generation of brain-computer interfaces.”
Chronic-wound treatments Another graphene-based healthcare innovation comes from Grapheal, the Neel Institute CNRS Grenoble spin-off. Te company developed a pioneering wearable patch for remote monitoring of chronic wounds; see Figure 2. Te flexible and transparent graphene-based biosensor enables doctors and nurses to provide hyper- responsive treatment for chronic wounds. Evidence suggests effective wound care
will become critical in healthcare as the population ages and the number of chronic wounds rises. Te growing incidence of
Figure 2: Wearable patch for remote monitoring of wounds
The sensor can unlock the wealth of information found below 0.1Hz, potentially leading to new treatments for brain-related diseases
diabetes in Europe is exacerbating the situation, with approximately 5.5% of 60 million diabetics developing a foot wound. Chronic wounds can take months or
even years to heal. In 20% of cases, the injury never heals and can lead to a limb amputation. Tis dramatic consequence is on the rise, with a 19.4% increase in limb amputations during 2014-2017 compared to 2010-2013. Grapheal measures and stores the bio
parameters of the wound and communicates this data to the cloud via a smartphone app, alerting nurses and doctors to early stages of infection and other complications. “Our patch adapts to any shape of wound,
using graphene’s thinness and flexible properties. Te patented formula uses graphene-on-polymer to actively react in a non-invasive way to any changes to the
wound; in fact, the non-invasive nature of the patch actively stimulates wound healing – and we have led eight preclinical studies that prove its bio-stimulation properties,” said Vincent Bouchiat, CEO of Grapheal. “As an atomically-thin material, graphene’s electrode conductivity will change due to any physicochemical change, enabling faster detection of problems for patients.”
Purifying water with graphene In addition to healthcare and the treatment of medical problems, graphene is also proving beneficial for improving the health of wider communities. One example of this is GRAPHIL, a water-purification project launched in December 2019 as part of Graphene Flagship’s eleven new industry- led Spearhead projects. Graphene Flagship committed €4m – a third of its budget for the new core phase, to these eleven projects, each piloted by European industrial partners including Airbus, Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles, Luſthansa Technik, Siemens and ABB. Notably, the partners of these eleven projects will also co-fund the initiatives with a further combined contribution of €4m, confirming the involvement of European manufacturers in the development of graphene-enabled products. GRAPHIL also aims to develop an
innovative water filtration system, with implications for the environment, health and societal wellbeing of Europe’s citizens. Te project will use graphene-based filters
www.electronicsworld.co.uk November/December 2020 41
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