The Exciting Future of Brain-Computer Interfaces 🧠

Meet the brain

Our brain is composed of billions of neurons, which communicate through electrical signals. For this, we need substances called neurotransmitters, that open channels, causing the current to flow across a neuron’s membrane.

Thanks to these networks formed in our brain, we can move, speak, learn, forget, and do literally everything we do. Now the question is: what if we could still do more?

Well, thanks to a young technology called Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs), in a near future we could actually be enhancing our brains, treating neuro-related diseases, and even sharing a video on Instagram with our mind.

What are BCIs, anyways?

Neural interfaces are devices that connect our brains to computers and interact with our nervous system.

In this context, a computer can really be any electronic device that stores and processes data. This means, that BCIs also allow us to connect our brains to video-game consoles, smartphones, tablets, and more.

Something important to keep in mind is that when we say connect, is that we aren’t necessarily speaking about an invasive device. In fact, most of these devices are actually non-invasive, such as wearable headbands and earbuds.

An example of this is an electroencephalograph (EEG), which is currently more used for diagnosing brain disorders, such as epilepsy.

Worth mentioning, an EEG machine alone is not a BCI because it only records brain signals but does not generate an output that acts on the user’s environment.

Another point to consider is that EEG-based interfaces also require some training prior to each usage session, whereas non-EEG-based ones, as well as invasive ones, don’t.

Present and future

The reason why this technology could be growing exponentially over the next decade or so, is because the limits for its applications are basically gonna be set by our brains!

What I personally like to do when writing about technologies of the XXI century, is to actually show what is being done today, as well as some moonshot ideas that we could be seeing soon.

That being said, these are — in my opinion — the 3 most exciting applications of BCIs, and the companies that promising companies that working on them:

VR with Neurable

It has actually been 3 years since this company announced the world’s first mind-controlled virtual reality (VR) game, which is aimed to help developers create brain-controlled content for virtual reality.

Therapeutics with Neuralink

You’ve most likely heard of this company, and not the others because it was founded by the multimillionaire, Elon Musk, who has also founded Tesla, SpaceX, among other companies.

Well, although they’re current focus is definitely on making medical devices, they are also sure that once the technology has proven to be safe and efficient, their future vision is to scale its use for non-medical purposes.

Enhance your brain with Muse

Their headband detects the EEG signal, and turns it into audio feedback that is fed to the user via headphones, while the app also gives real-time information about what’s going on in your brain, all with the purpose of helping you stay calm and focused.

They also have a “Corporate Wellness Program” to “help your employees lower stress, increase resilience, and improve their engagement.”

Moonshot ideas?

As you may already imagine, the possible applications of BCIs don’t end here. There are much more other ideas to explore, which may seem crazy right now, but could actually be all within our reach. Some of them are:

• Pass-thought: using brain signal patterns as password
• Changing the way we interact with our every-day devices
• Tailoring games to our mood
• Boosting mental sharpness by modulating our brain activity

In short…

This technology is definitely one that we should all keep in mind👀 for the years to come. Not only is it already changing the way many diseases are being treated, but it’s also about to revolutionize the way we interact with our new digital environment.

There are certainly other ethical issues that we should beware of, such as companies having access to information that was previously the most private, or the possibility of hacking these kinds of systems.

As of now, what we can do is stay informed, and prepared for the amazing future that is just in front of us!

Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right — Henry Ford

Hey! I’m Sofi, a 16-year-old girl who’s extremely passionate about biotech, human longevity, and innovation itself 🦄. I’m learning a lot about exponential technologies to start a company that impacts the world positively 🚀. I love writing articles about scientific innovations to show you the amazing future that awaits us!
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