Printed artificial neurons connect with living brain tissue, signaling a new era in brain-inspired hardware

Northwestern University researchers have printed flexible artificial neurons using MoS2 memristive nanosheets on a polymer substrate that generate neuron-like spikes and can directly activate living brain cells in mouse brain slices, marking a step toward brain–machine interfaces and energy-efficient AI hardware. The low-cost aerosol-jet process creates complex firing patterns, and the work, published in Nature Nanotechnology, suggests future devices could perform advanced tasks with far less power than today’s silicon systems.