Uploaded July 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
New implantable devices developed in Polina Anikeeva's lab at MIT transform and soften to match the mechanical properties of the brain, enabling long-term studies of neural circuits. In this video, the swollen probe has the same mechanics as the brain so it cannot penetrate the hydrogel. The dried probe acts as a "dried paintbrush" and easily penetrates the hydrogel. When the dried probe is inserted into the target brain region, it hydrates, swells, and softens (assuming the mechanics of the brain). Video: Anikeeva Lab
New implantable devices developed in Polina Anikeeva's lab at MIT transform and soften to match the mechanical properties of the brain, enabling long-term studies of neural circuits. In this video, the swollen probe has the same mechanics as the brain so it cannot penetrate the hydrogel. The dried probe acts as a "dried paintbrush" and easily penetrates the hydrogel. When the dried probe is inserted into the target brain region, it hydrates, swells, and softens (assuming the mechanics of the brain). Video: Anikeeva Lab
