Recently, a research team hailing from the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in partnership with Donghua University, has achieved a significant breakthrough. They have successfully engineered a neural fiber electrode, dubbed NeuroWorm, which is as slender as a strand of hair, flexible, stretchable, and highly maneuverable. This pioneering study marks the inaugural introduction of a novel 'dynamic electrode' concept for brain-computer interfaces. It represents a departure from the conventional 'static' design of implantable electrodes, paving the way for innovative research and practical applications in the realm of brain-computer interface electrodes.

Drawing inspiration from the locomotion of earthworms, the research team crafted a fiber electrode with a mere diameter of approximately 200 micrometers. This electrode is ingeniously designed to incorporate 60 independent channels for the collection of bioelectrical signals, achieved through a sophisticated electrode structure and coiling techniques. By embedding a minuscule magnetic control unit at the electrode's tip, the NeuroWorm gains the ability to actively propel itself forward, execute turns, and accurately navigate to the designated target area. This dynamic monitoring capability is particularly valuable in soft tissues, such as brain tissue or muscles, and is guided by an external magnetic field.