Restoring Tactile Sensation Using a Triboelectric Nanogenerator

Abstract

Loss of tactile sensation is a common occurrence in patients with traumatic peripheral nerve injury or soft tissue loss, but as yet, solutions for restoring such sensation are limited. Implanted neuro-prosthetics are a promising direction for tactile sensory restoration, but available technologies have substantial shortcomings, including complexity of use and of production and the need for an external power supply. In this work, we propose, fabricate, and demonstrate the use of a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) as a relatively simple, self-powered, biocompatible, sensitive, and flexible device for restoring tactile sensation. This integrated tactile TENG (TENG-IT) device is implanted under the skin and translates tactile pressure into electrical potential, which it relays via cuff electrodes to healthy sensory nerves, thereby stimulating them, to mimic tactile sensation. We show that the device elicits electrical activity in sensory neurons in vitro , and that the extent of this activity is dependent on the level of tactile pressure applied to the device. We subsequently demonstrate the TENG-IT in vivo , showing that it provides tactile sensation capabilities (as measured by a von Frey test) to rats in which sensation in the hindfoot was blocked through transection of the distal tibial nerve. These findings point to the substantial potential of self-powered TENG-based implanted devices as a means of restoring tactile sensation.

Contact Separation Triboelectric Nanogenerator Based Neural Interfacing for Effective Sciatic Nerve Restoration

“…However, for future clinical trials, we need to admit that, just as our experimental results showed, the current the TENG-based self-powered neuroprosthetics still have a long way to replace the current electrical stimulation paradigm. Other research teams also demonstrated the TENGbased self-powered neuroprosthetics methods, [38,40] but we need to face the fact that most neural modulation applications such as epidural electrical stimulation, deep brain stimulation, vagus nerve stimulation. All these functional stimulations recommended pulse frequencies are higher than the current pulse frequency generated by the TENG devices.…”

Human body IoT systems based on the triboelectrification effect: energy harvesting, sensing, interfacing and communication

“…Shlomy et al developed an integrated tactile TENG that was implanted under the skin. 238 The electrical potential was delivered to healthy sensory nerves to mimic the tactile sensation by activating them. The current solutions developed for the purpose of in and on body electrical stimulation (ES) lack autonomous qualities necessary for comfortable, practical, and self-dependent use.…”

Adaptive Triboelectric Nanogenerators for Long-Term Self-Treatment: A Review

“…Implantable nerve prostheses represent a promising direction, but these still possess some disadvantages, including the complexity of their use scenarios and the requirement of bloated external power supplies. Therefore, to solve this problem, Shlomy et al proposed triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG-IT) with simple structures that were self-powered, biocompatible, and highly customizable for tactile restoration [ 70 ]. PDMS, nylon (Ny), and cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB), which has the advantages of flexibility and biocompatibility, were selected as friction layers in this device, with PDMS being a negative layer, and Ny and CAB being positive layers.…”

“…TENG-IT is implanted under the skin (desensitized fingers). Reprinted with permission from [ 70 ]. 2021, ACS.…”