Over the summer of 2024 I worked with the MIT Laboratory for Translational Engineering on a bioresorbable robot that could implant in the stomach and send electrical signals, potentially leading to hormone production capable of regulating hunger. I primarily focused on developing and testing electrical interconnecting methods for the robot, but I also worked on designing the electrode and mold for the microneedles that would attach to the stomach wall.
The interconnecting method was a mixture of different waxes and metallic powders at varying concentrations, melted at temperatures ranging from 75 to 90°C to form a paste. The paste would solidify when left at room temperature.
The samples were tested using a four-point probe to find their resistivity. The best-performing sample attained an average resistivity of 320 mΩ/sq.
A current was able to flow from a bioresorbable battery to a wire connected by one of the pastes, indicating this method could be viable.
