Neuro Vigilance
As the field of neurotechnology moves from purely medical applications to new uses in consumer electronics, information processing, and human performance, it has attracted interest and investment from some of the giants of the tech industry. One year ago, internet entrepreneur Bryan Johnson told attendees at the Neurotech Leaders Forum of his $100 million investment in Kernel and his interest in expanding human intelligence using neurotechnology.
Pain Points
Chronic pain is one of the greatest healthcare problems facing the U.S. and other nations. It is also a burgeoning market opportunity for neuromodulation device vendors. Although historically, neurotech therapies have played a major role in treating chronic back pain, as Jennifer French points out in her article on page 1 of this issue, migraine pain is rapidly emerging as a new market opportunity.
Funding the Brain
The flow of funds from government agencies for neurotech research continues to be significant in 2017. As we report in our article on page 1 of this issue, DARPA recently awarded $65 million in new contracts to research institutions and commercial firms as part of its Neural Engineering System Design program. DARPA is not the only federal agency with new funding for neurotechnology research. At the…
2017 Cleveland Neural Engineering Workshop Participants Map Out Future Needs
Dubbed the non-conference, the 4th biennial Cleveland NEW event took place June 21-23, 2017 at the Global Health Innovation Center in Cleveland, OH. More than 80 stakeholders from the neural engineering field participated, including clinicians, funding agencies, industry, researchers, and academics. The event featured two and half days of interactive discussions that endeavored to identify and tackle some of the key challenges and opportunities confronting neural engineering.
Neurorobotics Vendors Seek to Expand Market
Manufacturers of neurorobotics systems are making efforts to expand the market for their devices to a wider range of consumers and neurorehabilitation users. Two publicly traded vendors recently announced partnerships to develop new versions of their exoskeleton systems for applications beyond functional restoration for individuals with SCI. ReWalk Robotics Ltd., the Israeli manufacturer of exoskeleton systems, recently previewed a prototype for a soft-suit exoskeleton intended to assist stroke survivors.
Thwarting the Brainjackers
Brain computer interface technology has made tremendous strides in the 17 years that we have published this newsletter. Algorithms for decoding raw brain signals have become more accurate and sophisticated over time and the range of applications has expanded considerably in neuroprosthetics and other areas of neurotechnology. But as BCI technology gets even more sophisticated, it will become increa…
New Therapies Emerge at International Neuromodulation Society Meeting
Clinicians, neural engineers, and researchers from across the globe attended the 13th World Congress of the International Neuromodulation Society in Edinburgh, Scotland earlier this month. The meeting included a preconference session devoted to noninvasive brain stimulation on May 27 and another devoted to innovations in neuromodulation on May 28. The theme of the innovations session was “The Chall…
Neurotech Startups Have New Tools at Their Disposal
The evolution of the neurotechnology industry has been marked . The organic growth of the industry has been fueled the last five to 10 years. As more neurotech startups emerge there are more tools available to them. Neurotech entrepreneurs are not the pinnacles of patience and many are seeking alternative ways of raising critical funding. As we reported two years ago [NBR May15 p1], crowdfunding is a viable option—particularly for noninvasive and consumer focused devices.
Closing the Funding Gap for Assistive Devices
Readers of this publication know well the impact that new technologies can have on people with neurological impairments. A new publication from the National Academies helps make that case even stronger. The Promise of Assistive Technology to Enhance Activity and Work Participation was authored by a team of experts within NAS, NAE, and NAM (formerly IOM). The publication results from a 2012 recommendation from the U.S.
Learning About Learning
One of the most intriguing challenges facing the neurotech industry has been to enhance learning and memory, either as a rehabilitation therapy for individuals with brain disorders, or as a way to improve cognitive performance in nonimpaired people. As we report on page 1 of this issue, the Pentagon has taken a deep interest in using neurotechnology to exploit cortical plasticity and has funded research at seven U.S.