Implant

Several years after Elon Musk's "aspirational" timeframe, Neuralink has announced it's received FDA approval for the first human trials of its brain-computer interface. But it's worth noting that another company has already done more than 50 implants.

In the treatment of epilepsy, doctors will sometimes implant arrays of stimulating electrodes on the surface of a patient's brain. A new soft robotic system allows those electrodes to be placed far less invasively than ever before.

Inspired by the wings of dragonflies and cicadas, researchers have developed a new coating for orthopedic implants. It not only shreds harmful bacteria, but also monitors stress on the system, meaning it could warn of impending implant failure.

When deaf athletes with cochlear implants take part in sports, they have to wear headgear that protects the external parts of their implant. A new wearable serves that same purpose, while allowing users to hear the sounds around them much better.

A team of researchers led by Northwestern University and the University of Texas at Austin (UT) have developed a novel graphene heart implant that’s about the thickness of a strand of hair and monitors and corrects abnormal heart rhythms using light.

While there are already a variety of implants that dispense medication within the body, most of them either can't be externally controlled, or they eventually have to be surgically removed. A new one, however, uses light to avoid both problems.

Loss of arm and hand mobility is a common and devastating disability among stroke survivors, but a promising new study shows how cervical spinal cord stimulation could improve limb function and restore quality of life.

Researchers at UCLA have developed a small sponge that can be implanted next to a tumor to help the body fight it. In tests in mice, the devices induced remission, prevented growth and spread of cancers, and increased survival times.

While islet cell transplants allow some diabetics to forgo daily insulin injections, those people must take immunosuppressive drugs to protect those cells. A new implant, however, could administer the drugs for them, with fewer side effects.

It's a sad fact that people with conditions such as muscular dystrophy and ALS often have difficulty breathing, as their diaphragm muscle doesn't work properly. MIT scientists have set out to give that muscle a boost, with an implantable ventilator.

The installation of a cochlear implant is a tricky procedure, in which certain nerves may be damaged if the surgeon isn't careful. A new "smart" surgical drill is designed to help, by automatically shutting off if it gets too close to those nerves.

We hear a lot about artificial hips and knees, but finger joints? They do exist, but their fit and functionality is limited. Germany's Fraunhofer research group aims to change that, with artificial finger joints that are 3D-printed for each patient.