There has been a great deal of interest in the development of technologies for actively manipulating neural networks in vitro, providing natural but simplified environments in a highly reproducible manner in which to study brain function and related diseases. Platforms for these in vitro neural networks require precise and selective neural connections at the target location, with minimal external influences, and measurement of neural activity to determine how neurons communicate. Here, we report a neuron-loaded microrobot for selective connection of neural networks via precise delivery to a gap between two neural clusters by an external magnetic field. In addition, the extracellular action potential was propagated from one cluster to the other through the neurons on the microrobot. The proposed technique shows the potential for use in experiments to understand how neurons communicate in the neural network by actively connecting neural clusters.

人们对开发用于在体外积极操纵神经网络的技术产生了极大的兴趣，以高度可重复的方式提供自然但简化的环境，以研究大脑功能和相关疾病。这些体外神经网络的平台需要在目标位置进行精确和选择性的神经连接，外部影响最小，并测量神经活动以确定神经元如何交流。在这里，我们报告了一种加载神经元的微型机器人，用于通过外部磁场精确传递到两个神经簇之间的间隙来选择性地连接神经网络。此外，细胞外动作电位通过微型机器人上的神经元从一个簇传播到另一个簇。