Northwestern University's New Micro LED-Based Device Breaks New Ground In Neuroscience & Expands Non-Display Application

Recently, a research team from Northwestern University has achieved a new breakthrough in the field of neuroscience, with their findings published in the academic journal Nature Neuroscience. They developed a tiny, flexible device based on Micro LED array technology that can bypass the body's natural sensory pathways and send signals directly to the brain. Unlike traditional brain-computer interfaces, this stamp-sized device—integrated with 64 Micro LEDs—does not need to be implanted deep into brain tissue; instead, it is placed under the scalp and above the skull. In a non-invasive manner, it emits precise light pulses that penetrate bone to activate specific neuron groups in the cerebral cortex. By real-time controlling the intensity, frequency and timing of each LED, researchers can generate nearly countless stimulation patterns to simulate the distributed neural network activity of the cerebral cortex during real sensory experiences, rather than just activating local neurons. In experiments on genetically modified, light-sensitive mice, the rodents quickly learned to interpret these light signals as meaningful instructions and make decisions accordingly, successfully completing a series of complex behavioral tasks without the involvement of touch, vision or hearing. The research team stated that this new technology is expected to be applied in medical scenarios such as prosthetic sensory feedback, pain regulation, neurological rehabilitation and brain-controlled robotic limbs in the future.

Long regarded as the next-generation ultimate display technology after OLED—used in manufacturing TVs, smart watches and AR glasses screens—Micro LED has also shown enormous application potential in non-display fields, thanks to its characteristics including ultra-small size, high integration, nanosecond-level response speed, excellent stability and lifespan, and adjustable light wavelengths, as demonstrated by Northwestern University’s latest research. In the field of biomedical health monitoring, the global academic community has been conducting a variety of medical studies using Micro LED technology. For example, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) developed a wearable patch composed of flexible Micro LED arrays, which stimulates hair follicle cells through red light Micro LED irradiation to significantly promote hair regeneration; a joint research team from the University of Göttingen and the University of Freiburg in Germany developed an optical cochlear implant based on Micro LED technology—compared with traditional electrical stimulation cochlear implants, light stimulation can more precisely activate specific auditory nerves in the cochlea, thereby significantly improving the sound frequency resolution of hearing-impaired individuals; researchers at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland used flexible Micro LED implants attached directly to spinal cord injury sites, and through precise electro-optical stimulation, activated specific neural circuits to help paralyzed mice regain the ability to walk, providing new ideas for the treatment of spinal cord injuries in humans; in addition, Yonsei University in South Korea, the Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the University of Washington have also applied Micro LED technology in accelerating wound healing, in vivo drug monitoring, blood oxygen and blood flow monitoring, etc.

In the field of optical communication, the development of Micro LED is accelerating rapidly and is regarded as a key focus of its future non-display applications. According to the 2025 Micro LED Display and Non-display Application Market Analysis report by TrendForce, with the increasing demand of data centers, Micro LED, as an optical interconnection light source, has the advantages of low power consumption, higher data transmission density and better temperature stability, and is expected to gain resource support to drive technological progress and boost chip demand in the future. Recently, Mersen Technology, a high-speed connection enterprise, stated that it is optimistic about the development of Micro LED-based Active LED Cables (ALC) in the data center field, has provided samples to customers, and plans to mass-produce related technologies in 2027. In the academic community at home and abroad, continuous research is being conducted on the optical communication capabilities of Micro LED, with research directions including Li-Fi solar energy reception, indoor centimeter-level signal positioning, underwater drone swarm communication, etc.

In addition, Micro LED technology can also be applied in sensing detection and industrial fields, such as structured light 3D face recognition, microscope structured light illumination, industrial non-destructive testing, maskless lithography, high-precision 3D printing engines, etc.