The Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has come up with a new wave of electronics. These are biologically degradable electronics that dissolve completely in the presence of liquids.
Applications and Composition
These bioelectronics could find numerous applications in medical treatments. Researchers at DARPA created these electronics using ultra-thin sheets made of silicon and magnesium enclosed in silk.
Transistors, diodes, inductors, capacitors, and resistors are all incorporated into a very thin sheet of silk. Using the thickness and crystalline nature of silk, researchers are able to calculate the dissolving time of these electronics.
Magnesium and silicon naturally occur at low levels in the human body. As the amount of these materials used in bioelectronics is less than these natural levels, they are extremely biocompatible.
Medical Uses and Future Potential
The idea is to create biodegradable electronics that could be applied in medical treatments to prevent infection in wounds, especially concerning soldiers.
Credits: DARPA
