Current challenges and new avenues in neural interfacing: from nanomaterials and microfabrication state-of-the-art, to advanced control-theoretical and signal-processing principles

  • 49k

    Total downloads

  • 245k

    Total views and downloads

About this Research Topic

Submission closed

Background

The human brain remains rather poorly understood and, in terms of its dysfunctions, it represents a formidable societal challenge for science and technology.

Thanks to visionary research programmes support, both European and American agencies have contributed to build over the last decade a significant community of scientists around the concept of interfacing neurons and networks with artificial devices and biomaterials, relevant for human health applications as well as for potentially extracting the principles of novel brain-inspired, information and communication technologies.

Although earlier neuroscience evidences proposed that the unique adaptability of the nervous system could have eased the coupling of artificial devices to the brain, progresses in neuroprosthetics and invasive ICT brain interfacing have been slow. Bidirectional functional interfacing has still major issues to be solved, especially in terms of dynamical stability and consistency of its operation through time.

We argue that this is in part due to our unavoidably primitive physical interfacing technologies, bridging nerve tissue and artificial devices with poor spatial resolution and bandwidth, and associated foreign body rejection reactions. In addition, existing devices currently focus on spatial and temporal domains of operation rather independently, and almost entirely rely on open-loop paradigms, grounded on routine experimental stimulus-response protocols of basic neuroscience research. We also think that beyond the “hardware” component, a new approach involving control-theoretical concepts and advanced signal-processing techniques is pivotal. Only merging these two domains, a completely novel generation of more effective neuroprosthetic devices will emerge, integrating into the brain by novel principles of operation.

We encourage scientists who tackle current challenges of neural interfacing, network breaking and re-wiring, and who share our enthusiasm for the future opportunities offered by neurotechnology, in silico neurobiology, and advanced neural signal processing, to submit their contributions to this research topic. A variety of article types are welcome: commentaries, original research, reviews, hypothesis and theory, and opinions.

We are particularly interested in reports focusing across all levels of the organisation of the nervous system, from cells to systems, and spanning a wide range of neurotechnologies, including nanomaterials and nanoparticles for creating bidirectional chemical, electrical, and structural interfaces, microfabrication and novel electronics and microfluidics, as well as advanced routes in quantitative mathematical modelling of neuron-device interfaces, local field and spike trains interpretation and processing.

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

Topic editors

Frequently asked questions

  • Frontiers' Research Topics are collaborative hubs built around an emerging theme.Defined, managed, and led by renowned researchers, they bring communities together around a shared area of interest to stimulate collaboration and innovation.

    Unlike section journals, which serve established specialty communities, Research Topics are pioneer hubs, responding to the evolving scientific landscape and catering to new communities.

  • The goal of Frontiers' publishing program is to empower research communities to actively steer the course of scientific publishing. Our program was implemented as a three-part unit with fixed field journals, flexible specialty sections, and dynamically emerging Research Topics, connecting communities of different sizes and maturity.

    Research Topics originate from the scientific community. Many of our Research Topics are suggested by existing editorial board members who have identified critical challenges or areas of interest in their field.

  • As an editor, Research Topics will help you build your journal, as well as your community, around emerging, cutting-edge research. As research trailblazers, Research Topics attract high-quality submissions from leading experts all over the world.

    A thriving Research Topic can potentially evolve into a new specialty section if there is sustained interest and a growing community around it.

  • Each Research Topic must be approved by the specialty chief editor, and it falls under the editorial oversight of our editorial boards, supported by our in-house research integrity team. The same standards and rigorous peer review processes apply to articles published as part of a Research Topic as for any other article we publish.

    In 2023, 80% of the Research Topics we published were edited or co-edited by our editorial board members, who are already familiar with their journal's scope, ethos, and publishing model. All other topics are guest edited by leaders in their field, each vetted and formally approved by the specialty chief editor.

  • Publishing your article within a Research Topic with other related articles increases its discoverability and visibility, which can lead to more views, downloads, and citations. Research Topics grow dynamically as more published articles are added, causing frequent revisiting, and further visibility.

    As Research Topics are multidisciplinary, they are cross-listed in several fields and section journals – increasing your reach even more and giving you the chance to expand your network and collaborate with researchers in different fields, all focusing on expanding knowledge around the same important topic.

    Our larger Research Topics are also converted into ebooks and receive social media promotion from our digital marketing team.

     

  • Frontiers offers multiple article types, but it will depend on the field and section journals in which the Research Topic will be featured. The available article types for a Research Topic will appear in the drop-down menu during the submission process.

    Check available article types here 

  • Yes, we would love to hear your ideas for a topic. Most of our Research Topics are community-led and suggested by researchers in the field. Our in-house editorial team will contact you to talk about your idea and whether you’d like to edit the topic. If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. 

    Suggest your topic here 

  • A team of guest editors (called topic editors) lead their Research Topic. This editorial team oversees the entire process, from the initial topic proposal to calls for participation, the peer review, and final publications.

    The team may also include topic coordinators, who help the topic editors send calls for participation, liaise with topic editors on abstracts, and support contributing authors. In some cases, they can also be assigned as reviewers.

  • As a topic editor (TE), you will take the lead on all editorial decisions for the Research Topic, starting with defining its scope. This allows you to curate research around a topic that interests you, bring together different perspectives from leading researchers across different fields and shape the future of your field. 

     

    You will choose your team of co-editors, curate a list of potential authors, send calls for participation and oversee the peer review process, accepting or recommending rejection for each manuscript submitted.

  • As a topic editor, you're supported at every stage by our in-house team. You will be assigned a single point of contact to help you on both editorial and technical matters. Your topic is managed through our user-friendly online platform, and the peer review process is supported by our industry-first AI review assistant (AIRA).

  • If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. This provides you with valuable editorial experience, improving your ability to critically evaluate research articles and enhancing your understanding of the quality standards and requirements for scientific publishing, as well as the opportunity to discover new research in your field, and expand your professional network.

  • Yes, certificates can be issued on request. We are happy to provide a certificate for your contribution to editing a successful Research Topic.

  • Research Topics thrive on collaboration and their multi-disciplinary approach around emerging, cutting-edge themes, attract leading researchers from all over the world.

  • As a topic editor, you can set the timeline for your Research Topic, and we will work with you at your pace. Typically, Research Topics are online and open for submissions within a few weeks and remain open for participation for 6 – 12 months. Individual articles within a Research Topic are published as soon as they are ready.

    Find out more about our Research Topics

  • Our fee support program ensures that all articles that pass peer review, including those published in Research Topics, can benefit from open access – regardless of the author's field or funding situation.

    Authors and institutions with insufficient funding can apply for a discount on their publishing fees. A fee support application form is available on our website.

  • In line with our mission to promote healthy lives on a healthy planet, we do not provide printed materials. All our articles and ebooks are available under a CC-BY license, so you can share and print copies.

     

Impact

  • 245kTopic views
  • 189kArticle views
  • 49kArticle downloads
View impact