Intermediate

Microelectrode array

Also known as: Utah array, Intracortical electrodes, Neural threads

A set of tiny electrodes inserted into brain tissue to record individual neurons. The highest-resolution BCI sensor.

The Utah Array (100 silicon needles on a 4 × 4 mm base) has been the workhorse of human intracortical BCI research since the early 2000s. Newer designs use flexible polymer threads (Neuralink), microwire bundles (Paradromics) or ultra-soft materials (Axoft) to record from more neurons and reduce tissue damage.

The main challenge is long-term stability: the body reacts to foreign objects, and signals can fade over years.

Last updated Sep 30, 2026. Educational content, not medical advice.

Share:X LinkedIn Bluesky Email

Action potential
A brief electrical pulse (a "spike") that a neuron fires to send a signal down its axon.
ECoG (electrocorticography)
Recording from electrodes placed directly on the brain's surface, under the skull. Much clearer than EEG, without penetrating tissue.
Biocompatibility
How well an implanted material coexists with body tissue over time without causing harm or being walled off by scar tissue.
Channel count
The number of separate recording sites a device has. More channels generally means more information about the brain.

Learn something every week

Each issue of the Brief includes a "term of the week."