Tiny electronic devices implanted into living tissue can dissolve harmlessly when they’re no longer needed.
A team from the Beckman Institute, University of Illinois and Tufts University showed implanted dissolvable - or “transient” - devices fought off infection in laboratory mice, then dissolved completely.
Transient electronics are made from bioresorbable materials such as silicon and magnesium, and are coated by water-soluble layers of silk and magnesium oxide.
The lifespan of the device is dictated by the thickness of the outer layer.
Practical uses of transient electronics include infection control, pain relief, and surveillance.Read more at American Chemical Society