Varadan said he wants to eventually develop a device that can create and grow new neurons, called neurites, that could cure Parkinson's disease.
The biosensors, developed using carbon nanotubes and nanowires, are 100 times the strength of steel yet 60 times lighter, Varadan said. The entire biosensor chip is less than a centimeter in size and similar to those found in computers.
Varadan is also developing biosensors to control seizures, sleep apnea, prosthetic limbs and heart attacks.
"We're looking at all possibilities," he said.
Varadan, also a University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences professor of neurosurgery, and his wife, Vasu, left Pennsylvania State University after 22 years in January. They both hold endowed chairs in electrical engineering at the Fayetteville campus through matching money from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation.
Varadan developed a biosensor that can detect when a seizure is about to begin. The technology likely can't stop a seizure, but it can control them and alert the person -- and even emergency personnel -- of the seizure's start, he said.
A "smart" vest can also detect the onset of a heart attack and alert emergency crews of the problem, he said.
Varadan said he also wants to use a similar technology for truck drivers, who can wear a "smart" hat that will alert them to when they are about to fall asleep.
"You think you are awake, but your brain tells you that you aren't," he said.
The same biosensors used to control Parkinson's disease can also help people with prosthetic limbs. The biosensor in the brain alerts a device, such as a watch attached to the limb, that triggers movements.
"The brain is still sending signals even if the spinal cord isn't working," Varadan said.
A similar device could also check a diabetic's insulin level and inject needed medication. The watch could store up to a week's worth of insulin, he said.
"You won't even feel it," Varadan said, noting the needle would be 1 micron in size. A thousand microns equals one millimeter.
A person's body accepts nanotechnology and doesn't feel the small power required to operate the biosensors, Varadan said.
Varadan, who also directs the High Density Electronics Center at the campus in Fayetteville, said he hopes a company can mass produce the biosensors so "everybody can afford it." The Parkinson's disease surgery costs about $45,000 right now.
"His work has attracted funded research programs to support the institution. His published work has been well received nationwide, and he has served as an expert on prestigious panels worldwide. We are simply delighted and honored to have professor Varadan on our faculty bringing this prestige," said Aicha Elshabini, chairwoman of the electrical engineering department.
Varadan has applied for patents for his biosensors and is also awaiting approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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