US Patent 8060217 - Nanowire neural device

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8060217.html

This patent from Korea's Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation teaches how nanowires can be used to form a neural interface without killing nerve cells. Claim 1 reads:

1. A neural device for at least one of obtaining electric signals from nerve fibers or transmitting signals thereto, comprising:

at least one nanowire configured to be inserted in the nerve fibers;

a processing module electrically connected with the at least one nanowire; and

a base, connected to the processing module, the base comprising: a through-hole in the base comprising an inner circumference, and a nanowire support fixed to the inner circumference of the through-hole;

wherein the at least one nanowire is attached to the nanowire support.