Brain Computer Interfaces & connected medical devices

Elon Musk promised Neuralink would bring superhuman abilities and minds merged with AI. Then he fueled a runaway hype train for his brain implant technology, which ended up with a grisly record for implants in monkeys and some success with human subjects. But for all of the hype, he’s still further away than Mars from his goal. And that’s because his relentless ambition is once again hitting the wall of scientific reality.

L'interface cerveau-ordinateur (BCI) ne relève plus de la science-fiction, mais la course effrénée lancée par Elon Musk avec Neuralink a-t-elle sacrifié la prudence médicale sur l'autel du spectacle technologique ? Alors que les annonces médiatiques fascinent le grand public, la réalité clinique des implants révèle des défis structurels majeurs qui remettent en question la viabilité de l'approche « tout ou rien ». Neuralink a-t-il fait le mauvais pari en misant tout sur une technologie invasive et complexe au détriment de la sécurité et de la scalabilité ? Nous analysons ici les implications techniques, biologiques et éthiques de cette stratégie audacieuse à la lumière des récents résultats cliniques. 

In a groundbreaking convergence of neuroscience and robotics, researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC, the University of California, Irvine (UCI), and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have propelled the ambitious quest to restore walking and sensation in patients with paraplegia forward. Their innovative work harnesses the power of a fully implantable brain-computer interface (BCI) integrated with a wearable robotic exoskeleton, marking a significant leap towards reestablishing natural, bidirectional communication between the brain and limbs once paralyzed.

California-based startup Sabi is developing a noninvasive brain-computer interface (BCI) that converts a person’s internal speech into text displayed on a computer.
Unlike companies such as Neuralink that focus on surgically implanted devices, Sabi aims to make this technology accessible to the general public through wearable devices like a beanie and a baseball cap.
The device relies on electroencephalography (EEG) to detect brain activity, and Sabi plans to use 70,000 to 100,000 miniature sensors to improve signal accuracy. The initial typing speed is projected at around 30 words per minute, with improvements expected as users become accustomed to the device.
To handle the variability in individual thought patterns, Sabi is creating a large-scale AI model, called a brain foundation model, trained on extensive neural data from many volunteers. Consumer usability is a major focus, with an emphasis on comfort, ease of use, and out-of-the-box functionality.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) often causes long-term disability. But effective means to promote proper regeneration after SCI has so far failed to reach the clinic. Here, we report that fibrotic scar formation at injury sites prevents recovery after SCI and that the inhibition of fibrotic scar formation significantly improved SCI recovery in adult mice. We found that after SCI there is an elevation of macrophages, which are a primary source of activated transforming growth factor-β 1 (TGF-β1) that in turn recruits mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) to induce their fibroblast differentiation, thus promoting scar formation.

Implantable silicon neural probes with integrated optical emitters and electrodes are emerging tools for simultaneous optogenetic stimulation and electrophysiological recording in deep brain regions. In parallel, neural probes with microfluidic channels have been developed for localized drug delivery and neurochemical sampling. However, thus far, such fluidic probes have lacked optical and electrical functionalities or been limited to a low number of optical emitters and/or electrodes, constraining their utility in multimodal investigations of neural circuits. Here, we introduce foundry-fabricated silicon nanophotonic neural probes with monolithically integrated microfluidics. Each probe has 16 silicon nitride grating coupler emitters, 18 titanium nitride microelectrodes, and one embedded microfluidic channel.

Stent implantation is widely used to treat coronary artery disease, yet in-stent restenosis (ISR) remains a major clinical challenge. Fractional flow reserve (FFR) is the gold-standard index for evaluating restenosis severity, but current techniques are invasive and unsuitable for continuous monitoring. Here, we present a bioresorbable smart stent platform that enables real-time intravascular pressure sensing and continuous FFR monitoring. The system integrates a MEMS-based LC pressure sensor, fabricated from SU-8 and gold, onto a hybrid 3D-printed vascular stent composed of polycaprolactone (PCL) and polylactic acid (PLA). Structural refinements and an optimized fabrication process enable long-term sensor reliability, minimize signal drift, and maintain stable resonance frequency. Across 100 fabricated devices, the pressure sensors show a resonance frequency of 82.2 ± 1.7 MHz and a sensitivity of 37.48 ± 2.13 kHz/mmHg. In vitro closed-loop fluidic tests using a vascular phantom confirmed the stable, wireless operation of the device and its ability to accurately assess hemodynamic parameters. The dual-sensor configuration enables simultaneous upstream and downstream pressure measurements, yielding FFR values that closely match those from a commercial system (R² = 0.97) under varying stenosis severities. The proposed smart stent offers a promising pathway toward long-term, non-invasive vascular monitoring and early detection of ISR.

The g.GAMMAcap is optimized for use with g.LADYbird TMS electrodes, providing both comfort and quick mounting. Its flexible yet durable fabric includes 74 labeled standard positions (based on the extended 10-20 system) and 86 additional intermediate positions for easy electrode placement. Designed for various experiments like EPs and high-density brain mapping, it allows seamless integration with g.LADYbird electrodes. The cap includes options for a chest belt or chin straps, ensuring a secure fit during recordings.

If stroke, multiple sclerosis or traumatic brain injury affect the ability to move, it isn’t necessarily lost! For that reason, g.tec medical engineering developed recoveriX Neurotechnology, a unique rehabilita­tive approach based on brain-computer interface technology that helps the brain rewire itself.
While giving the task to imagine a hand or foot movement, recoveriX provides feedback in real-time through muscle sti­mu­lation and visual simulation. This process induces neuro­pla­sti­city within the brain to relearn hand, arm and foot movements.

The Synchron Stentrode system, known for its novel utilization of MEMS technology and success in a clinical trial enabling computer communication for patients [1], has inspired the development of another technology using a braided stent as a base embedded with insulated DFT wires. Each DFT wire carries a tiny electrode (Fig. 1A left), and the stent connects via a transvascular lead to an external device (Apollo I 32-channel signal acquisition system or in-house recording/stimulation unit). The study aims: 1) to assess the stent-electrode's deliverability, release, and extraction at the transverse sinus (TS) and superior sagittal sinus (SSS); 2) to evaluate signal quality collected by the new system.

In this study, a novel approach is demonstrated for fabricating endovascular micro-wire stent electrodes using laser welding and ablation technologies. The method significantly reduces the electrode size, making it suitable for narrower blood vessels. The quantitative results highlight the excellent electrochemical performance of the electrodes fabricated under optimal laser welding parameters, with a 1 kHz impedance of 4117 Ω, a 1 kHz phase of −68.23 degrees, a charge storage capacity (CSC) of 8.745 (mC/cm2), and a charge injection capacity (CIC) of 1.617 ×10−4C/cm2. These results indicate that the electrodes possess excellent stability and suitability for use as neural interfaces in confined vascular environments.

Our interconnection solutions for active implantable devices combine innovation and precision to meet the unique demands of the medical and BCI industries. From custom-designed connectors to durable cables and industry-standard connectors, our comprehensive offerings ensure reliable, high-performance connectivity for a wide range of applications. With a focus on quality and compatibility, our interconnection services support the seamless integration of active implants, enhancing device reliability and patient outcomes.

Ce week-end, une bonne partie des objets connectés Wemo basculent dans une nouvelle vie, beaucoup plus terre à terre. Belkin coupe l’accès à ses serveurs cloud, emportant avec eux commandes à distance, assistants vocaux et automatisations en ligne. Un rappel assez brutal d’une vérité bien connue : dans la maison connectée, tout dépend du bon vouloir et de la longévité des serveurs du constructeur.

Among the most promising advancements is the Endovascular Brain-Computer Interface (EBCI), an innovative approach representing a subtype of invasive brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). EBCI fosters the delivery of electrodes to intricate brain regions through an endovascular route, effectively bypassing the need for craniotomy. This technique melds the precision of high-quality signal acquisition with the safety associated with minimally invasive interventions. The EBCI framework enables profound insights into memory circuit involvement in Alzheimer’s, invoking hope for enhanced therapeutic strategies in this domain.

In the study, patients were directed to complete their assigned therapy five times per week over a 12-week period. Participants were at least six months post-stroke with persistent upper-extremity hemiparesis or hemiplegia, and with no upper or lower limits on baseline upper-extremity Fugl-Meyer (UEFM) scores. The study enrolment was stopped early for efficacy following a planned interim analysis. A total of 62 participants with a mean time since stroke of 5.4 years were included in the primary analysis, 37 of whom received BCI therapy and 25 of whom were allocated to standard exercise therapy.

In Scalable Neural Interfaces, we are exploring how to advance highly targeted minimally-invasive neurotechnologies to understand and repair the brain.

The NAOX Wave earbuds incorporate the same in-ear EEG technology as the NAOX Link NX01, initially designed for clinical applications. This innovation allows users to monitor their mental health, track brain activity throughout varied states such as working and sleeping, and provides analytics about cognitive function and even an estimation of the brain's age. Such data are accessible through a user-friendly companion application, making it valuable for everyday users interested in maintaining or improving mental well-being.

Naox Technologies has become the first medtech company to receive FDA clearance for its in-ear EEG device that can negate the need for complex and limited scalp electrodes that have been used for brain monitoring for decades.
Naox Link is an electroencephalography (EEG) platform that patients use via a small sensor worn in the ear, allowing brain activity to be monitored while they move around. According to a Jan. 6 release, the approach “enables long-duration, real-world brain monitoring beyond traditional hospital environments.”

Merge Labs, in its own launch post, said it is pursuing “fundamentally new approaches” that aim to raise bandwidth and brain coverage while making BCIs “much less invasive,” including systems that “connect with neurons using molecules instead of electrodes,” use “deep-reaching modalities like ultrasound,” and “avoid implants into brain tissue.”

In this study, we address the issue of whether applying transcranial magnetic and vibrotactile stimulation can improve the motor imagery BMI performance. Our findings provide evidence that applying transcranial magnetic stimulation with specified parameters (frequency 5 Hz, duration 6 min, 90% of the muscle activation threshold at rest) leads to preactivation of the occipital brain region and facilitates sensorimotor integration during motor imagery. We found that this process results in TMS-induced decrease of the motor imagery BMI latency. Integration of vibrotactile feedback in motor imagery BMI leads to enhancement of the BMI performance by an increase of the ERD level of EEG patterns over the contralateral motor cortex area corresponding to the MI of the non-dominant hand and an increase in motor cortical excitability.

The BISC implant measures just 50 micrometers thick, roughly the thickness of a human hair, and occupies approximately 3 cubic millimeters of space. Ken Shepard, professor of electrical engineering at Columbia University, explained the device can slide into the space between the brain and skull. The chip contains 65,536 recording electrodes and 1,024 recording channels that capture neural activity at unprecedented resolution. All signal processing, wireless communication, and power management functions occur on the same integrated circuit, eliminating the need for bulky external canisters that current brain computer interfaces require.