ABSTRACT
Cutting-edge research in medicine, robotics, and brain/machine interfaces is steering towards a deep interaction of technology with nature. However, the material building blocks of biology are markedly different from those used in traditional electronics. Consequently, the success of these fields depends on the ability to interface an exogenous device with cells and tissues. Within this context, organic electronic materials, which have demonstrated technological maturity in optoelectronics and photonics as exemplified by their applications in organic solar cells, transistors, and light-emitting diodes, represent ideal bioelectronic materials due to their biomimetic nature, among other features. In this chapter, we highlight the advances in organic materials for interfacing with biological systems in vitro and, ultimately, in vivo. Besides discussing the state-of-the-art materials, we will also consider the future possibilities and the challenges of organic bioelectronics toward effective clinical translation of the related devices.
