Wendy Ju Associate Professor, Cornell Tech Geoffrey Ling Professor of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Hospital Ruth Morgan Vice-Dean (Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurship), Faculty of Engineering Sciences, UCL Angela Ruohao Wu Associate Professor, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology 54 55,56 In recent years, brain-machine interfaces recalibration. Applications of 昀氀exible BMIs (BMIs) have gained visibility, igniting collective are already undergoing US Food and Drug imaginations regarding the power and potential Administration (FDA)-approved clinical trials, rapidly of one day controlling machines with thoughts. making this technology a reality. In the future, other BMIs allow electrical signals the brain produces to implantable devices, such as cardiac pacemakers, be captured by sensor hardware. Algorithms then could adopt similar types of materials. decode these electrical signals into instructions that a computer can understand and execute. Looking forward, advances in materials BMI-like systems are already used to treat manufacturing and soft-circuit printing could further patients with epilepsy, and in neuroprosthetics – improve 昀氀exible BMI technologies, eventually prosthetic limbs use electrodes to interface with leading to true human-AI interfacing. As with many the nervous system.51,52 emerging technologies, broad ethical issues must be considered prior to the wide implementation of Despite initial successes, there are challenges these interfaces. Potential health outcomes must to these technologies. Current implants used by be balanced with public acceptance and trust. doctors are made of hard materials, like the chips Further, given the sensitive nature of brain-derived inside a laptop or phone, and they can trigger long- data, privacy and ethical use guidelines must term scarring and cause substantial discomfort. establish how these data can be used in the short, They cannot bend or adapt to brain movements medium and long term. so, over time, they “drift” in position, decreasing the accuracy of the captured signals. Non-invasive methods, like electrodes placed on the outside of Impact the skull, do not require surgical implantation but 昀椀ngerprint Image: provide only muf昀氀ed, dif昀椀cult-to-decode signals – like People Breakthroughs in 昀氀exible listening to a person talk through a thick face mask. electronics may pave the way for neurological Researchers have recently developed brain treatments. interfacing circuits on biocompatible materials that Equity are soft and 昀氀exible. Flexible circuits can conform to Planet Credit: Midjourney and the brain, reducing scarring and sensor drift, and they Studio Miko. Prompt (abbreviated): can be packed with enough sensors to stimulate “bright-white, 昀氀exible millions of brain cells at once, vastly outperforming electronics”. the scale and timeframe of hard probes.53 Read more: When used in neuroscience research, 昀氀exible Discover expert analysis BMIs could deepen understanding of neurological Prosperity related to 昀氀exible neural conditions such as dementia and autism. In the Industry electronics on the Strategic Intelligence clinic, 昀氀exible BMIs could provide greater control Platform. of neuroprosthetics without requiring frequent Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2023 23