New metal-free hydrogel electrodes flex to fit the body's many shapes, avoiding damage to organs
Published Date: 6/18/2021
Source: phys.org
Arrays of metal electrodes are often used in medical procedures that require monitoring or delivering electrical impulses in the body, such as brain surgery and epilepsy mapping. However, the metal and plastic materials that comprise them are stiff and inflexible while the body's tissues are soft and malleable. This mismatch limits the places in which electrode arrays can be successfully used, and also requires the application of a large amount of electrical current in order to "jump" the gap between an electrode and its target.