Miniature, completely biocompatible, electronic instruments that can harmlessly disintegrate into their surroundings after working for a certain amount of time, have been constructed by biomedical engineers from Tufts University.
This discovery of "transient electronics", a new group of silk-silicon devices that function for a specific amount of time followed by disintegration, pave the path for medical implants that never need to be surgically removed. It could also be a potential milestone for compostable consumer electronics and environmental monitoring devices.
Fiorenzo Omenetto, professor of biomedical engineering at Tufts School of Engineering and a senior and corresponding author of these findings published Science says:
"These devices are the polar opposite of conventional electronics whose integrated circuits are designed for long-term physical and electronic stability. Transient electronics offer robust performance comparable to current devices but they will fully resorb into their environment at a prescribed time, ranging from minutes to years, depending on the application."
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