Wireless implant triggers nerve stimulation in mice

With a new device implanted into mice, scientists studying optogenetic nerve stimulation hope to have more breakthroughs in their research.

According to scientists representing the Stanford Bio-X, a device that allows optogenetic nerve stimulations powered by movement was implanted into mice.

To better understand the device, optogenetic methods monitor and control genetically preconditioned neurons for responding to light by using light. A majority of experts in this field believe that this technology is the best one created to date in order to better understand the mystery of how the brain functions, including but not limited to any failures that occur within the brain as well as psychiatric disorders caused by those failures.

The implanted device on the mice allowed for the removal of bulky, exterior devices from their bodies and gives them freedom of movement. This gives researchers a much better opportunity to observe any of the procedures that could trigger advancement in the neuro-scientific community.

Already, progress on optogenetic research on mice has given very useful information about Parkinson’s tremors and also given scientists access to a range of data about potential stroke treatment and any mechanics that are involved in pain.

As for the bulky devices removed from the mice, the headgear that they had fitted on them created problems for the mice. They had difficulty navigating through their tunnels, burrowing, or carrying out other similar jobs that might have had significant impact on the research carried out.

With studies and papers already published in the journal Physical Review Applied, as well as the journal Nature Methods, information from Professor Ada Poon of the Stanford University, as well as Professor John Ho of the National University of Singapore, gives details on how the device was created with energy harvesting capabilities and how they have used the movement of the mice’s body to transfer radio frequencies.

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