5 major neurotech in 2021 and beyond
2021 is an interesting year for neurotech, so here I will share my perspective on the most interesting neurotech products
Neuroscience and applications like brain-computer interface are getting more attention both from the public and VC. A lot of great scientists and engineers have been working on their hardware and algorithms for many years, and in 2021 we will start seeing the results.
Neuralink
In April 2021, Neuralink demonstrated a monkey playing the classic game Pong using only its mind, a remarkable achievement in brain-computer interface technology. Although Neuralink’s founder, Elon Musk, had originally promised human trials in 2020, the progress made with the monkey demo is undeniably impressive.
How does it work?
In principle, the Neuralink implant is similar to the Utah Array, developed for research purposes in 1995: An array of electrodes is inserted into the brain to detect electric charges created by the neural activity in the motor cortex.
These implants work in synergy with advanced decoding software (AI) that enables its users (even if it’s a monkey) to control a computer (or smartphone) with nothing but thoughts.
These implants need fairly complex neurosurgery and struggle with long-term stability, but they provide the most accurate data we can get and are loved by researchers all over the world.
The most noticeable difference of the Neuralink is that those electrodes are soft, and a special sewing machine inserts them one at a time (trying to avoid blood vessels) — this is impressive.
Of course, it has built-in Bluetooth, inductive charging, and a sleek design.
Anyway, this is a huge step towards commercial brain implants, and I hope that in 2021–2023 we’ll see the first human trials with Neuralink implants.
Synchron
Synchron Stentrode is another fascinating neurotech development worth watching. The company describes its technology as “minimally invasive,” as it employs a stent-electrode delivered to the motor cortex area through a vein, eliminating the need for open-brain surgery. Although the spatial resolution is not as high as some researchers desire, the technology provides a valuable interface for patients with disabilities.
Although there is another implant with electronics that is placed in the patient’s chest, still — no need for an “open-brain” surgery.
Kernel — the first non-invasive here
Kernel stands out with its two non-invasive products: Kernel Flow and Kernel Flux.
Kernel Flow, which began shipping in 2021, is a functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) system that detects changes in blood oxygenation levels. The system has high precision and has been compared to a “Fitbit” for the brain, with potential applications in continuous brain-health monitoring.
Kernel Flux seems to stuck at the testing phase, so let’s focus on Kernel Flow for now.
Non-invasive neurotechnologies are usually EEG devices in different form-factors. These devices have low spatial resolution and are unable to obtain high-quality signals. But Kernel isn’t that case.
Kernel Flow was shown to the public in October 2020, but the shipping should start in 2021. It’s a live example of great engineering, and, in my opinion, it's the best fNIRS system available today.
fNIRS is short for functional near infrared spectroscopy, it detects changes in blood oxygenation level (BOLD) with an infrared light. Human skull and tissues are transparent for infrared light, so it’s possible to detect oxygenation levels in blood flowing inside the brain (under the skull).
When a group of neurons is active, they consume oxygen from the bloodstream, fNIRS system detects it with high precision — up to 1 mm voxels. The only problem is that this process has a latency of a few hundred milliseconds.
Kernel's vision for this device is well described by its founder Bryan Johnson. He envisions the use case of a “Fitbit” for the brain (continuous brain-health monitoring).
Neurable
Neurable is the only device targeting the mass market users in my list.
There are lots of mass-market neuro-toys available, and they really don’t worth our attention, but Neurable has its unique approach and is worth noting.
Neurable is focused on developing electroencephalography (EEG) systems for mass-market applications. In 2017 they launched a BCI accessory for VR, but just recently, Neurable made a pivot towards regular consumers.
In January 2021, they raised $230k on Indiegogo with their new Fitbit-like product — Headphones to track mood and focus.
This is another version of the exact idea of Mindset headphones from 2017— Mindset raised $1 million on Kickstarter but yet struggled to deliver the device.
The difference is that Neurable has a little more chances to meet expectations and make it to delivery. They reimagined the device and approach to acquiring EEG data by integrating electrodes into the ear cushions. This approach to EEG already showed its efficiency in research and is a viable way to acquire data. It would be nice to test this device in real-life scenarios.
OpenBCI
This is the only non-invasive multi-electrode EEG device that excites me and other researchers.
It's not a ready-to-use product, It doesn’t have any useful features built-in — Yes, OpenBCI is selling DIY kits, but this is viable.
OpenBCI's core product is — Cyton board, which has a unique mixture of good-quality hardware (“research-grade”) at a fairly affordable price and doable set-up.
With this device, any Neurotech enthusiast can start experimenting. Get good quality EEG or EMG data and even build proprietary applications.
It’s still an EEG device with a high level of noise and serious limitations on accuracy. But the affordability and community around it make this neurotech interesting to watch in 2021 and beyond.
They also announced a new partnership with Valve Inc. (Valve is a gaming platform and one of the VR leaders). So I am excited to see new use cases and games with this device.
The year 2021 marks the beginning of a new era for commercial neurotech, with numerous innovations on the horizon. As we continue to monitor the development of these groundbreaking technologies, we can expect to see even more exciting advancements in the coming years.
If you’ve got any questions or think I missed something, just leave a comment
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Ivan Tsy
