promises a wide range of therapeutic and synthetic biology applications, among other

types. Work on potentially promising areas such as plastic bioelectronics, bio-inspired

adhesive architectures, implants, and energy supply and storage must continue.

Interface development will also be essential to address health problems, and future so­

lutions include both skin-based and internal applications, although the implications of this

type of technology will have to be addressed efficiently and collaboratively. Consequently,

materials-related fields must continue to evolve to achieve these objectives, where organic

electronic polymers and conjugated polymers present two viable alternatives with pending

challenges to address. In addition, organic electrochemical transistors will play a relevant

role in detecting elements such as hormones or neurotransmitters, as well as different

electrophysiological records. Thus, cardiology and neuroscience (for example, neuropros­

thetics) are among the areas that will continue moving forward faster soon, both in basic

research and technological development. Nevertheless, given their dependence on the

progress of other discoveries and disciplines, experimental technologies will certainly take

time to consolidate until they can materialize and be commercially available.

The contributions of bioelectronics to the environment will continue developing around

energy generation, chemical production, contaminant detection, and wastewater treatment.

New areas will continue to emerge, and as bioelectronics converges with other fields of

knowledge and solutions that used to be deemed impossible will become a reality.

According to the results obtained in the present study, it is evident that, in terms of

documents produced and historical records, basic science is more developed than patent

applications. Therefore, the materialization of findings from basic research has a slow

dynamism. However, the analysis and mapping revealed highly developed areas, and

others that show significant future potential. Finally, generating public policies, training

human resources, investing in infrastructure, formulating collaboration agreements, and

supporting bioelectronics programs are fundamental actions to accomplish these goals, and

all of these actions must be carried out under a perfectly regulated framework based on

strict surveillance of security, technical, economic, and ethical matters.

TABLE 7.4

Examples of Patent Applications According to Relevance

No.

Title

Published

Applicants

Identifier

1

Renewable bioelectronic

interface for

electrobiocatalytic reactor

10/11/2016

University of Michigan

State

US 2016/0326658 A1

2

Live bioelectronic cell-gated

nanodevice

30/09/2010

University of Nebraska

US 2010/0243984 A1

3

Electronic conductance in

bioelectronic devices and

systems

19/08/2021

University of Arizona

State

WO 2021/163275 A1

4

Bioelectronic circuits, systems,

and methods for preparing

and using them

06/08/2020

Lindsay Stuart; Zhang

Bintian; Deng Hanqing

WO 2020/160300 A2

5

S-Layer protein 2D lattice

coupled detergent-Free

GPCR bioelectronic

interfaces, devices, and

methods for the use thereof

21/11/2019

Massachusetts Institute

of Technology

US 2019/0353654 A1

Source: Authors’ elaboration based on Lens [ 49].

Scientific and Technological Trajectory

119