Clinical devices used to map where in the brain a seizure
originated haven’t changed much since the 1950s. Scientist have
now designed an ultrathin implant carrying a dense array of
sensors to record the electrical activities of the brain during
a seizure. The level of detail captured by the ultraflexible
device (pictured) – capable of conforming to the brain’s shape –
has a nearly 50-fold greater resolution than was ever possible,
potentially revolutionizing epilepsy treatment. Technology
Review reports. Doctors trying to map where a seizure originates
must usually remove a section of skull to place a bulky sensor
array on the surface of the patient’s frontal cortex. That way,
the problem region can be surgically removed. Having to
accommodate wires for each electrode, the devices usually only
has space for fewer than 100 electrodes. Current sensor arrays
have about 8 sensors per square centimeter. “It’s like trying to
understand what’s going on in a crowd in Manhattan with a single
microphone suspended from