Morphing electronics enable neuromodulation in growing tissue

Bioelectronics for modulating the nervous system have shown promise in treating neurological diseases 1 – 3 . However, their fixed dimensions cannot accommodate rapid tissue growth 4 , 5 and may impair development 6 . For infants, children and adolescents, once implanted devices are outgrown, additional surgeries are often needed for device replacement, leading to repeated interventions and complications 6 – 8 . Here, we address this limitation with morphing electronics, which adapt to in vivo nerve tissue growth with minimal mechanical constraint. We design and fabricate multilayered morphing electronics, consisting of viscoplastic electrodes and a strain sensor that eliminate the stress at the interface between the electronics and growing tissue. The ability of morphing electronics to self-heal during implantation surgery allows a reconfigurable and seamless neural interface. During the fastest growth period in rats, morphing electronics caused minimal damage to the rat nerve, which grows 2.4-fold in diameter, and allowed chronic electrical stimulation and monitoring for 2 months without disruption of functional behavior. Morphing electronics offers a path toward growth-adaptive pediatric electronic medicine. Viscoplastic electronic devices adapt as nerves enlarge in growing animals.