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Self-rectifying magnetoelectric metamaterials for remote neural stimulation and motor function restoration

Nature Materials volume 23, pages 139–146 (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

Magnetoelectric materials convert magnetic fields into electric fields. These materials are often used in wireless electronic and biomedical applications. For example, magnetoelectrics could enable the remote stimulation of neural tissue, but the optimal resonance frequencies are typically too high to stimulate neural activity. Here we describe a self-rectifying magnetoelectric metamaterial for a precisely timed neural stimulation. This metamaterial relies on nonlinear charge transport across semiconductor layers that allow the material to generate a steady bias voltage in the presence of an alternating magnetic field. We generate arbitrary pulse sequences with time-averaged voltage biases in excess of 2 V. As a result, we can use magnetoelectric nonlinear metamaterials to wirelessly stimulate peripheral nerves to restore a sensory reflex in an anaesthetized rat model and restore signal propagation in a severed nerve with latencies of less than 5 ms. Overall, these results showing the rational design of magnetoelectric metamaterials support applications in advanced biotechnology and electronics.

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Fig. 1: MNMs enable wireless neuromodulation using magnetic fields.
Fig. 2: Engineered material properties in metamaterials.
Fig. 3: Arbitrary pulse trains and characterization of MNM.
Fig. 4: In vivo experiments and controls using the MNM.
Fig. 5: Measured stimulation latency of MNM in a severed-nerve rodent model.

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Data availability

All the relevant data supporting the results of this study are presented in the Article or its Supplementary Information. Raw data are available at https://osf.io/yr78v/.

Code availability

Custom code used in this study is available at https://osf.io/yr78v/.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge A. Singer, A. Tuppen, M. Parker and V. Nair for their useful discussions on magnetoelectrics. We would also like to acknowledge E. C. Lai for his assistance with the rat nerve surgeries, S. Coffler for her assistance with the biocompatibility assay and A. Bayles for his assistance with the X-ray diffraction measurements. We also thank the staff at the Shared Equipment Authority (SEA) at Rice University, as well as T. Gilheart, J. Guo, J. Kerwin and H. Guo, for their assistance and excellent discussions. We acknowledge funding from the National Science Foundation ECCS-2023849 (G.B., J.C.C., F.A. and J.T.R.), National Institutes of Health U18EB029353 (G.B., J.C.C., F.A. and J.T.R.) and National Institutes of Health F31 DE030333 (K.J.H. and A.G.M.).

Author information

Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Joshua C. Chen, Gauri Bhave.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA

    Joshua C. Chen, Katie J. Hogan, Antonios G. Mikos & Jacob T. Robinson

  2. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA

    Gauri Bhave, Fatima Alrashdan, Abdeali Dhuliyawalla & Jacob T. Robinson

  3. Medical Scientist Training Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA

    Katie J. Hogan

  4. Applied Physics Program, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA

    Jacob T. Robinson

  5. Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA

    Jacob T. Robinson

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  1. Joshua C. Chen
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Contributions

J.C.C., G.B. and J.T.R. conceived the MNM concept. J.T.R. supervised the research. J.C.C. and G.B. completed a majority of the experiments and data collection. F.A., A.D., K.J.H. and A.G.M. assisted with the material characterization. J.C.C., G.B. and J.T.R. prepared the manuscript with input from all the authors. F.A. reviewed and edited the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jacob T. Robinson.

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Competing interests

J.T.R. is a co-founder of Motif Neurotech, Inc., where he has an equity stake and receives compensation. The views presented here should not be considered as endorsements of any specific product or company. The remaining authors declare no competing interests.

Peer review

Peer review information

Nature Materials thanks Shad Roundy and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

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Supplementary information

Supplementary Information

Supplementary Figs. 1–23.

Reporting Summary

Supplementary Video 1

Toe-pinch experiment.

Supplementary Video 2

Severed nerve.

Supplementary Video 3

Open wound.

Supplementary Video 4

Closed wound.

Supplementary Video 5

Thermal imaging.

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Chen, J.C., Bhave, G., Alrashdan, F. et al. Self-rectifying magnetoelectric metamaterials for remote neural stimulation and motor function restoration. Nat. Mater. 23, 139–146 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-023-01680-4

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