Reconfigurable hydrogel interfaces for soft brain electrodes
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Acknowledgments
Author contributions
Z.L. and S.W. wrote the paper.
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interest.
References
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A. Zhang et al., Ultraflexible endovascular probes for brain recording through micrometer-scale vasculature. Science 381, 306–312 (2023).
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A. G. Kolias, A. Chari, T. Santarius, P. J. Hutchinson, Chronic subdural haematoma: Modern management and emerging therapies. Nat. Rev. Neurol. 10, 570–578 (2014).
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J. D. Breshears et al., Mapping sensorimotor cortex with slow cortical potential resting-state networks while awake and under anesthesia. Neurosurgery 71, 305–316 (2012).
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K. Shen, O. Chen, J. L. Edmunds, D. K. Piech, M. M. Maharbiz, Translational opportunities and challenges of invasive electrodes for neural interfaces. Nat. Biomed. Eng. 7, 424–442 (2023).
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E. Song, J. Li, S. M. Won, W. Bai, J. A. Rogers, Materials for flexible bioelectronic systems as chronic neural interfaces. Nat. Mater. 19, 590–603 (2020).
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C. M. Tringides et al., Viscoelastic surface electrode arrays to interface with viscoelastic tissues. Nat. Nanotechnol. 16, 1019–1029 (2021).
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E. Martinelli et al., The e-flower: A hydrogel-actuated 3D MEA for brain spheroid electrophysiology. Sci. Adv. 10, eadp8054 (2024).
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J. Wang et al., Flexible electrodes for brain–computer interface system. Adv. Mater. 35, 2211012 (2023).
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J.-Y. Bae et al., A biodegradable and self-deployable electronic tent electrode for brain cortex interfacing. Nat. Electron. 7, 815–828 (2024).
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S. Lee et al., A shape-morphing cortex-adhesive sensor for closed-loop transcranial ultrasound neurostimulation. Nat. Electron. 7, 800–814 (2024).
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G. Yang et al., A soft electrode array with reconfigurable hydrogel interfaces for high-fidelity neurophysiological monitoring during craniotomy. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 123, e2533145123 (2026).
13
G. Tian et al., A nonswelling hydrogel with regenerable high wet tissue adhesion for bioelectronics. Adv. Mater. 35, 2212302 (2023).
14
J. Wu et al., Adhesive anti-fibrotic interfaces on diverse organs. Nature 630, 360–367 (2024).
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B. R. Freedman et al., Enhanced tendon healing by a tough hydrogel with an adhesive side and high drug-loading capacity. Nat. Biomed. Eng. 6, 1167–1179 (2022).
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N. Li et al., Bioadhesive polymer semiconductors and transistors for intimate biointerfaces. Science 381, 686–693 (2023).
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Copyright © 2026 the Author(s). Published by PNAS. This article is distributed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License 4.0 (CC BY-NC-ND).
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Published online: April 20, 2026
Published in issue: April 28, 2026
Acknowledgments
Author contributions
Z.L. and S.W. wrote the paper.
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interest.
Notes
See companion article, “A soft electrode array with reconfigurable hydrogel interfaces for high-fidelity neurophysiological monitoring during craniotomy,” https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2533145123.
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Reconfigurable hydrogel interfaces for soft brain electrodes, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.
123 (17) e2607267123,
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2607267123
(2026).
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References
References
References
1
A. Zhang et al., Ultraflexible endovascular probes for brain recording through micrometer-scale vasculature. Science 381, 306–312 (2023).
2
A. G. Kolias, A. Chari, T. Santarius, P. J. Hutchinson, Chronic subdural haematoma: Modern management and emerging therapies. Nat. Rev. Neurol. 10, 570–578 (2014).
3
S. P. Lacour, G. Courtine, J. Guck, Materials and technologies for soft implantable neuroprostheses. Nat. Rev. Mater. 1, 1–14 (2016).
4
J. D. Breshears et al., Mapping sensorimotor cortex with slow cortical potential resting-state networks while awake and under anesthesia. Neurosurgery 71, 305–316 (2012).
5
K. Shen, O. Chen, J. L. Edmunds, D. K. Piech, M. M. Maharbiz, Translational opportunities and challenges of invasive electrodes for neural interfaces. Nat. Biomed. Eng. 7, 424–442 (2023).
6
E. Song, J. Li, S. M. Won, W. Bai, J. A. Rogers, Materials for flexible bioelectronic systems as chronic neural interfaces. Nat. Mater. 19, 590–603 (2020).
7
C. M. Tringides et al., Viscoelastic surface electrode arrays to interface with viscoelastic tissues. Nat. Nanotechnol. 16, 1019–1029 (2021).
8
E. Martinelli et al., The e-flower: A hydrogel-actuated 3D MEA for brain spheroid electrophysiology. Sci. Adv. 10, eadp8054 (2024).
9
J. Wang et al., Flexible electrodes for brain–computer interface system. Adv. Mater. 35, 2211012 (2023).
10
J.-Y. Bae et al., A biodegradable and self-deployable electronic tent electrode for brain cortex interfacing. Nat. Electron. 7, 815–828 (2024).
11
S. Lee et al., A shape-morphing cortex-adhesive sensor for closed-loop transcranial ultrasound neurostimulation. Nat. Electron. 7, 800–814 (2024).
12
G. Yang et al., A soft electrode array with reconfigurable hydrogel interfaces for high-fidelity neurophysiological monitoring during craniotomy. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 123, e2533145123 (2026).
13
G. Tian et al., A nonswelling hydrogel with regenerable high wet tissue adhesion for bioelectronics. Adv. Mater. 35, 2212302 (2023).
14
J. Wu et al., Adhesive anti-fibrotic interfaces on diverse organs. Nature 630, 360–367 (2024).
15
B. R. Freedman et al., Enhanced tendon healing by a tough hydrogel with an adhesive side and high drug-loading capacity. Nat. Biomed. Eng. 6, 1167–1179 (2022).
16
N. Li et al., Bioadhesive polymer semiconductors and transistors for intimate biointerfaces. Science 381, 686–693 (2023).
