Princeton researchers have taken one step further in the pursuit to properly merge biological and electronic components together by creating a bionic ear capable of hearing a greater range of frequencies than the human ear.
"The design and implementation of bionic organs and devices that enhance human capabilities, known as cybernetics, has been an area of increasing scientific interest," the researchers wrote in the journal Nano Letters. "This field has the potential to generate customized replacement parts for the human body, or even create organs containing capabilities beyond what human biology ordinarily provides."
The scientists used a 3-D printer to create cells and other nanoparticles, which they then grew in a cell culture. The resulting cartilage was combined with a small coil antenna.
Ears are one of the most difficult organs to deal with in the field of plastic and reconstructive surgery due to their delicate and intricate aesthetic. The Princeton team is hoping to show off how efficient and small-scale 3-D printing in the field of organ creation can overcome the limitations of previous hydrogel-based methods, which run into problems when faced with 3-D structures.
In general, there are mechanical and thermal challenges with interfacing electronic materials with biological materials," said lead researcher Michael McAlpine.
"Previously, researchers have suggested some strategies to tailor the electronics so that this merger is less awkward. That typically happens between a 2-D sheet of electronics and a surface of the tissue. However, our work suggests a new approach -- to build and grow the biology up with the electronics synergistically and in a 3-D interwoven format."
You can read the full published study online in the journal Nano Letters.