“Previously, researchers have suggested some strategies to tailor the electronics so that this merger is less awkward.

That typically happens between a 2D sheet of electronics and a surface of the tissue.

The ear itself consists of the cartilage structure, with a coiled antenna embedded within.

However, the technology would have to undergo extensive testing before it could be applied to a human patient.

The full study, “A 3D Printed Bionic Ear”, can be read in the journalNano Letters.