A groundbreaking collaboration between Northwestern University and Georgia Tech has made significant strides in the field of organic electronics by developing a high-performance organic electrochemical neuron that operates within the frequency range of human neurons. In addition to this, the researchers designed an entire perception system that integrates these engineered neurons with artificial touch receptors and synapses, enabling real-time tactile signal sensing and processing.

This research, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), brings the field a step closer to intelligent robots and systems that have previously been limited by sensing technologies that cannot replicate the efficiency of human sensory systems.

“The study highlights significant progress in organic electronics and their potential to bridge the gap between biological processes and technology,” said Yao Yao, a Northwestern engineering professor and first author of the study. “We created a highly efficient artificial neuron with a reduced footprint, boasting exceptional neuronal characteristics. By building on this capability, we developed a complete neuromorphic tactile perception system that mimics real biological processes.”

Tobin J. Marks, a co-corresponding author and Northwestern’s Charles E. and Emma H. Morrison Professor of Chemistry, explained that existing artificial neural circuits typically operate within a limited frequency range. “The synthetic neuron developed in this study is a game-changer, achieving a firing frequency modulation range 50 times broader than traditional organic electrochemical neural circuits,” Marks said. “This advancement sets our device apart, establishing it as a significant achievement in the development of organic electrochemical neurons.”

Marks, a prominent figure in organic electronics and nanotechnology, collaborated with Antonio Facchetti, a professor at Georgia Tech’s School of Materials Science and Engineering. Facchetti, who is also an adjunct professor of chemistry at Northwestern, emphasized the novelty of the work: “This study presents the first complete neuromorphic tactile perception system that integrates artificial neurons, tactile receptors, and synapses. It demonstrates the system’s ability to encode tactile stimuli into spiking neuronal signals in real-time and translate them into post-synaptic responses.”

The research team comprised specialists in organic synthesis, electronic device design, and circuit fabrication, showcasing a multidisciplinary approach. The collaboration resulted in the creation of advanced materials that were incorporated into circuits and integrated into the neuromorphic system.

Although the human brain contains an immense network of 86 billion neurons, replicating its complex sensing systems remains a major challenge. The team hopes to reduce the device’s size in future models, making it even more efficient and bringing the project closer to fully mimicking human sensory systems. This achievement could have far-reaching implications, particularly in the development of intelligent robots and devices with highly advanced sensory capabilities.

By Impact Lab