
Professor Francesca Iacopi is an expert in nano-electronics and materials. Photo: Andy Roberts
A novel carbon-based biosensor developed at UTS is set to drive new innovations in brain-controlled robotics.
Developed by Professor Francesca Iacopi and her team in the UTS Faculty of Engineering and IT, the biosensor adheres to the skin of the face and head in order to detect electrical signals being sent by the brain. These signals can then be translated into commands to control autonomous robotic systems.
A study of the biosensor has been published in the Journal of Neural Engineering this month
The sensor is made of epitaxial graphene – essentially multiple layers of very thin, very strong carbon – grown directly onto a silicon-carbide-on-silicon substrate. The result is a highly scalable novel sensing technology that overcomes three major challenges of graphene-based biosensing: corrosion, durability and skin contact resistance.
“We’ve been able to combine the best of graphene, which is very biocompatible and very conductive, with the best of silicon technology, which makes our biosensor very resilient and robust to use,” says Professor Iacopi.
Graphene is a nanomaterial used frequently in the development of biosensors. However, to date, many of these products have been developed as a single-use applications and are prone to delamination as a result of coming into contact with sweat and other forms of moisture on the skin.
By contrast, the UTS biosensor can be used for prolonged periods and re-used multiple times, even in highly saline environments – an unprecedented result.
Further, the sensor has been shown to dramatically reduce what’s known as skin contact resistance, where non-optimal contact between the sensor and skin impedes the detection of electrical signals from the brain.
“With our sensor, the contact resistance improves when the sensor sits on the skin,” Professor Iacopi says. “Over time, we were able to achieve a reduction of more than 75 per cent of the initial contact resistance.”
“This means the electric signals being sent by the brain can be reliably collected and then significantly amplified, and that the sensors can also be used reliably in harsh conditions, thereby enhancing their potential for use in brain-machine interfaces.”
The research forms part of a larger collaboration to investigate how brainwaves can be used to command and control autonomous vehicles. The work is a partnership between Professor Iacopi, who is internationally acclaimed for her work in nanotechnology and electronic materials, and UTS Distinguished Professor Chin-Teng Lin, a leading researcher in brain-computer interfaces. It is funded by $1.2 million from the Defence Innovation Hub.
If successful, the research will produce miniaturised, customised graphene-based sensors that have the potential for application in defence environments and beyond.
Original Article: Sensors set to revolutionise brain-controlled robotics
More from: University of Technology Sydney
The Latest Updates from Bing News & Google News
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Brain-controlled robotics
- Levita Magnetics takes its MARS robotic surgery platform international
Levita Magnetics founder and CEO Dr. Alberto Rodriguez-Navarro brought a robotic advance in minimally invasive surgery back home to Chile.
- Revolutionizing Neuroscience: Brain-Machine Interfaces on the Horizon for Every Cerebral Mind
It might seem like something out of Star Trek, but people controlling so-called ‘smartbrains’ with their own thoughts could happen sooner than you think.A smartbrain is a more common term for what bio ...
- EndoQuest raises $42M for endoluminal robotic tech
EndoQuest Robotics announced that it has closed a C-1 preferred financing round worth $42 million in proceeds.
- Scientists Develop 'Anthrobots', Biological Robots Made from Human Cells
The anthrobots, created from human airway cells, demonstrated the ability to repair damage to brain cells in controlled laboratory conditions. Senior author Michael Levin, a professor of biology at ...
- Headless animals manage to learn without ever having a brain
A new study is reporting that headless animals such as brittle stars can manage to learn through experience without ever having a brain. This allows them to move quickly to escape predators or find ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Brain-controlled robotics
[google_news title=”” keyword=”brain-controlled robotics” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Graphene-based biosensing
- Water-Based Route for Dopamine and Reduced Graphene Oxide Aerogel Production
In this study, a green and simple strategy is proposed to prepare aerogels by hydrothermal reaction of graphene oxide (GO ... great potential in oil/organic removal and water treatment based on their ...
- The world’s strongest material could be used to make clean drinking water
the graphene innovation center at the University of Manchester, which partnered with Khalifa University to establish the RIC2D lab in 2022. Any carbon-based material — including waste from the ...
- NanoXplore Unveils a Large-Scale Dry Process for Manufacturing of Graphene: An Improvement for Cost Competitiveness and Scalability
MONTREAL, Nov. 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NanoXplore Inc. (“NanoXplore” or “the Corporation”) (TSX: GRA and OTCQX: NNXPF), a world-leading graphene company, proudly announces an interesting ...
- Graphene proton transport could revolutionize renewable energy
To put graphene-based materials into practice, issues like their long-term stability, scalability, and cost-effectiveness must be resolved. Still, the field of graphene research today sees a ...
- iPhone 16 leak suggests Apple doesn't want a repeat of the iPhone 15 overheating problem
Apple could be working on a new Graphene-based heat dissipation solution for the iPhone 16 series. The company might also be planning to use a metal shell for the batteries of the Pro iPhone 16 ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Graphene-based biosensing
[google_news title=”” keyword=”graphene-based biosensing” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]