First-in-human demonstration of floating EMG sensors and stimulators wirelessly powered and operated by volume conduction.
Laura Becerra-Fajardo, Jesus Minguillon, Marc Oliver Krob and 12 others
PMID 38172975WHAT IT FOUND
Wireless muscle sensors and stimulators powered through the skin worked in only one of six healthy participants.
The devices frequently broke during insertion and communication failed in most cases, so this technology is not yet ready for clinical use.
Key findings
01Communication success varied widely, with two participants showing no communication, one at 40%, one at 80%, and two at 100% for basic pings.
02The thin-film electrodes broke during insertion in several attempts, limiting the study to only two muscle types.
03In the single participant where full configuration worked, the device successfully recorded EMG and caused visible muscle contraction.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
The study involved only six healthy volunteers, not patients with neurological disorders. The devices are proof-of-concept prototypes and are not suitable for chronic implantation due to infection risk and electrode fragility. High failure rates in communication and insertion mean the technology is not yet reliable for clinical use. The devices were semi-implantable, with a circuit taped to the skin, rather than fully implantable.
Declared interests
Funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme, CSIC, the Spanish Ministry of Science, NextGenerationEU, and ICREA.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret this as evidence that wireless neuroprostheses are ready for clinical application. The technology failed in most participants, and the devices used were fragile prototypes, not final implants.