Researchers from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) are developing tiny devices that can be implanted in the body that use electrical impulses to monitor infected or damaged organs. The device could continuously monitor the condition and provide any stimulus to help the nerves to maintain a healthy organ function.
The technology was developed to work in conjunction with neuromodulation, where the peripheral nervous system observes internal organs and adjusts the body’s response to infection or disease. Neuromodulation may worsen the condition, but with the introduction of this new electrically charged device, the electrical impulses will keep neuromodulation in check to properly stimulate the nerve patterns to heal the body instead of doing further damage. The device could be used to help treat painful inflammatory conditions, brain injuries, and mental-health disorders.
