This brain implant is smaller than a grain of rice

This Brain Implant Is Smaller Than a Grain of Rice

Today’s neural implants are smaller than ever but often remain bulky and prone to complications. Researchers at Cornell University have introduced a new development in the journal Nature Electronics that could change this.

Microscale Optoelectronic Tetherless Electrode (MOTE)

The MOTE implant is so tiny it fits on a grain of rice. It is vastly smaller than current implants and could be adapted for use in other delicate body areas.

“As far as we know, this is the smallest neural implant that will measure electrical activity in the brain and then report it out wirelessly,” said Alyosha Molnar, electrical engineer and study co-author.

Technical Specifications

Measures 300 microns long and 70 microns wide — approximately the width of a single human hair
Encodes neural signals as small pulses of infrared light
Sends data harmlessly through brain tissue and bone to a receiver

Development History

Molnar first conceived of an early version of MOTE in 2001, but the project only gained momentum more than two decades later. The design relies on a semiconductor diode made from aluminum gallium arsenide.

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Summary: The newly developed MOTE implant is the smallest wireless brain implant to date, enabling safer and more precise neural monitoring by transmitting infrared signals through brain tissue.

Popular Science — 2025-11-07