Biotic iontronics: foundations for the direct biotic-abiotic communication and modulation

Electronic signals form the basis of modern bioelectronics; however, they lack the biochemical complexity required to fully emulate or interface with the ionic and molecular signaling inherent to living systems. Biotic iontronics employs ions and molecules as direct information carriers, enabling authentic biotic-abiotic communication and offering a pathway to monitor and modulate physiological activities through signals that are natively intelligible to biological tissues. Current biotic iontronics faces limitations in achieving high-precision sensing and response, as well as restrictions in the types of output ionic and molecular signals. Elucidating fundamental biological principles and specific structures within living systems will provide the basis for breakthroughs in next-generation biotic iontronics.