Self-Powered Implantable Bio-Mems: From Epilepsy Diagnosis to Treatment and Monitoring

We report an implantable, biodegradable, and multifunctional system, self-powered with silk-based triboelectric nanogenerators (S-TENGs), for real time in vivo monitoring and therapeutic treatments of epileptic seizures. These S-TENGs are efficient energy harvesters with customizable in vivo operating life and biomechanical sensitivity via synergetic adjustments of silk molecular sizes, surface structuralization, and device configuration. A proof-of-principle S-TENG-based device is built with “smart” treatment triggered by specific epilepsy-induced symptoms and wirelessly mobile-device readout, exhibiting the practical potential of these S-TENGs as self-powered implantable bioelectronics and medical platforms. After completion of functions, S-TENGs are safely resorbed into the body within a programmable period, with post-operation sterilization simultaneously.