Materials for flexible and soft brain-computer interfaces, a review.

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) represent a cutting-edge field in neuroengineering, facilitating direct communication between the brain and external devices. With applications ranging from the study of neuroscience to medical diagnosis and therapy, virtual reality, and cognitive augmentation, BCIs are at the forefront of technological advancement. Traditional rigid neural probes used in BCIs face challenges in maintaining long-term, stable recordings at the single-neuron level. Furthermore, achieving high electrode density while minimizing flexural rigidity remains a challenge with conventional rigid materials. In this perspective, we emphasize the importance of spatiotemporal scalability in the advancement of neural probes. We discuss the necessary material properties to achieve high spatiotemporal scalability, which is critical for long-term stability in neural recordings and for increasing electrode counts and density. We review recent developments in flexible and soft material systems, as well as fabrication strategies to meet these challenges. Our analysis highlights the potential of flexible and soft electronics to overcome existing limitations and realize the full potential of next-generation BCIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]