Microfluidic neurons

Abstract

This project deals with the design of a new device which reproduces the electrical behavior of one biological neuron. This microfluidic neuron will simplify the interaction with biological neurons. It exists in the state of the art some hybrid interactions between silicium neurons and biological ones, but there is nothing about microfluidic neuromorphic devices. The neuromorphic engineering using silicon neurons is a field which becomes more and more useful for the study and treatment of neuronal diseases.

Our microfluidic neuron could communicate more easily than the silicium one thanks to its modeling closer to the nature. Microfluidic techniques are used to design microsystems with the same scale as biological ones: micro valves, deposit of ion selective membrane and culture of living neurons into PDMS. We obtain an electrical behavior similar to the biological neuron. The main parameter for controlling the shape of the action potential is the difference of ion concentration between the two chambers. We could also control the spike frequency with the programmed time sequence of the micro valve controller. The next step of our work is to make hybrid experiments in the same chip: neuron culture in one part of the PDMS device and the artificial neurons in the other part. These hybrid experiments will allow a better understanding of the neural network and will be a first step for microfluidic neuroprosthesis studies. The microfluidic neurons could also be used in robotic field reducing the electronic part and then the different issues like marine robots.