Brain Implants In 10-20 Years, says Imec.

"I believe that one day, 10-20 years from now, we will be able to implant electronics in the brain," says Eberle, "smart implants filled with electronics to restore damaged regions and functions of the brain."

"The size of the electronic circuits that we can make is already equal to the size of human circuits, i.e. nerve and brain cells," says Eberle.

He points out that "there are already electronics that talk to brains". Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) probes can relieve severe Parkinson's, depressions, or obsessions.

Although DBS probes are currently large, crude and imprecise, Imec has made electrodes that are much smaller (down to 10µm)  that can stimulate small groups of nerve cells.

"We've worked on the electronics to make the stimulus a directed beam, pointing towards the targeted cells, instead of stimulating the whole region around the probe," says Eberle, "we're also working on a closed-loop stimulation, where signals from brain cells are measured and used to steer the applied stimuli."

"When I look further out, say 10 to 20 years from now, I believe the technology that we are developing today will eventually be used in smart brain implants," says Eberle, "such implants could replace and repair damaged brain tissue. Or fill brain cavities caused by tumours, accidents, or brain infarcts."

"With the help of imaging and 3D prototyping technology, it will be possible to create highly precise 3D implants, such as are already used today to replace damaged bone tissue," adds Eberle.

On the surface of the implants will be thousands of micro-electrodes that can individually stimulate and listen to the neurons in their neighborhood.

What will such implants be able to do?

First, they will passively fill a cavity with a biocompatible, quasi-living, signalling body.

Neurons surrounding a cavity will stop functioning because they no longer feel any activity.

An implant will prevent the cavity from being filled with scar tissue and fluid. And it will indicate to the surrounding brain cells that all is 'business as usual'.

Eventually the implant will be used as an active body. An active body, first, that stimulates the growth of neurons.

Sponge-like implants, for example, could allow nerve cells to populate the implant.

Something which can bridge signals - that reconnects destroyed neural pathways which can then be re-connected to the brain - could be made  with the help of selective, directed closed-loop stimuli.