Researchers Implant Neural-Monitoring RFID Into a Moth

TechRev_AL writes "A team from the University of Washington has attached an RFID chip capable of sensing neural activity to a live moth, to pick up the spikes that occur as it beats its wings. Most neural implants are still relatively bulky, but the Washington researchers wanted to show the components in an RFID could be adapted for the same purpose. The NeuralWISP chip is a collection of low-power components such as a specialized signal amplifier, on a circuit board just over two centimeters long. The circuitry converts usable power from the reader — roughly 430 microwatts — to a voltage that can turn on a microcontroller. The sensor is also configured to 'wake up' only when a neuron fires. The ultimate goal is to create more compact, wirelessly-powered brain and nervous system implants for people."

Comments

Will o' the NeuralWISP, MEMS, & Spice

[Globally Mobile]

Just imagined a great cloud of moths controlled by these implants, with an MEMS chip for distributed wireless, feeding our ever growing hunger for broadband communications.


'The Spice Must Flow'