Creating flexible brain-computer interfaces using liquid metals
Official title: Engineering of Stretchable Neural Interfaces Using Liquid Metals for Stable Electrical Communication and Adaptive Stiffness Transformation
Funded at University of Massachusetts Amherst · NIH-10893346 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is exploring new ways to create brain-computer interfaces that are more comfortable and effective for people with neurological conditions by using flexible materials that can better connect with the brain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Massachusetts Amherst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hadley, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $227,783 |
| NIH project number | 5R21EB033599-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10893346 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals with neurological conditions that may benefit from advanced brain-computer interface technologies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with conditions unrelated to neurological disorders or those who do not require neural interface technologies may not receive benefits from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing advanced neural interfaces that can better communicate with the brain by using flexible materials. The approach involves combining nontoxic liquid metals with biocompatible elastomers to create devices that can adapt their stiffness and maintain stable electrical connections. By addressing the mechanical mismatch between traditional hard probes and soft biological tissues, this research aims to improve the longevity and effectiveness of brain-computer interfaces. Patients may benefit from enhanced treatments for neurological conditions through improved neural recording and stimulation technologies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective and long-lasting treatments for brain disorders through improved brain-computer interfaces.
How similar studies have gone: While the approach of using liquid metals in neural interfaces is innovative, similar research has shown promise in improving the compatibility of bioelectronic devices with biological tissues.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Hadley, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Liu, Tingyi — University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Study coordinator: Liu, Tingyi
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
New England Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases (NEWVEC)
A center in New England will develop and test practical ways to prevent tick bites and reduce diseases from ticks, while training public health workers and engaging communities.
-
Understanding how minority stress affects cannabis use in sexual minorities
A research project follows young adult sexual minorities to see how daily stress and coping help explain cannabis use and related problems.
-
A non-contact way to measure stiffness in hydrogel scaffolds for tissue engineering
A new method uses 2D acoustic force elastography microscopy to measure how stiff hydrogel scaffolds are, without touching them, to help tissue engineering efforts.
-
Automated neural identification across species and development
A computer-driven project to map and track every neuron in molluscs’ brains as they grow and evolve, to better understand how brains stay organized over time.
-
Nanopore Tweezers to Study Kinase Movements and Find Allosteric Inhibitors in Cancers
A new technology uses nanopore tweezers to watch how cancer-related kinases move in real time and to screen for drugs that stop them by binding at sites away from the active site.
-
Promesa: Urban gardens and peer nutrition to help people with HIV in the Dominican Republic
A unified program uses urban gardening and peer nutrition counseling to help people living with HIV who are food insecure in the Dominican Republic improve their health and HIV outcomes.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.