Gutruf Discusses Implantable Devices on BIO5 Podcast

BME assistant professor and Craig M. Berge Faculty Fellow Philipp Gutruf recently appeared on the BIO5 Institute's Science Talks podcast to discuss wearable and implantable devices that seamlessly integrate with living systems. He has developed devices that can affect individual neurons, as well as track bone healing. He says one of the main issues with current wearable devices, such as smart watches, are their bulkiness, often due to power needs.  

"What we are trying to do in my lab is change the way that bioelectronics and general devices that integrate with the body work, to create more intimate contact," Gutruf said. "We're taking these platforms that we try to make as biology-like as possible, and we integrate them with means to power them remotely. So we use for example electromagnetic rays that cast power into devices, or wireless power transfer that keeps these devices going 24/7. That's the technological foundation for most of our devices." 

Gutruf's interview is the third Science Talks episode in a row to feature engineering faculty members. Previous episodes featured Judith Su and Jennifer Barton. 

Last year, Gutruf was named as one of six researchers in the inaugural cohort of Craig M. Berge Dean’s Fellows.