Company

"The collaborative, diverse BrainGate team creates and tests the devices that are ushering in a new era of transformative neurotechnologies. Using an array of micro-electrodes implanted into the brain, our pioneering research has shown that the neural signals associated with the intent to move a limb can be “decoded” by a computer in real-time and used to operate external devices. This investigational system, called BrainGate (Caution: Investigational Device. Limited by federal law to investigational use.) has allowed people with spinal cord injury, brainstem stroke, and ALS to control a computer cursor simply by thinking about the movement of their own paralyzed hand and arm.

In early clinical research, the technology has provided intuitive control over advanced prosthetic limbs, and provided people with paralysis with easy control over powerful assistive movement and communication devices. An exciting goal is to enable naturally-controlled movements of paralyzed limbs. In addition, we are developing a new generation of wireless medical neurotechnologies that will be able to record and monitor neural activity to assist in the diagnosis and management of neurologic disease."

Academic

Battelle Memorial Institute (more widely known as simply Battelle) is a private nonprofit applied science and technology development company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Battelle is a charitable trust organized as a nonprofit corporation under the laws of the State of Ohio and is exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code because it is organized for charitable, scientific and education purposes. The institute opened in 1929 but traces its origins to the 1923 will of Ohio industrialist Gordon Battelle which provided for its creation. Originally focusing on contract research and development work in the areas of metals and material science, Battelle is now an international science and technology enterprise that explores emerging areas of science, develops and commercializes technology, and manages laboratories for customers.

Academic

"CANDO (Controlling Abnormal Network Dynamics using Optogenetics) is a world-class, multi-site, cross-disciplinary project to develop a cortical implant for optogenetic neural control. The goal is to create a first-in-human trial in patients with focal epilepsy. This seven year, £10M Innovative Engineering for Health Award, funded by the Wellcome Trust and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) involves a team of over 30 neuroscientists, engineers and clinicians based at Newcastle University, Imperial College London, University College London and The Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust."

Academic

"Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have the potential to restore independence for people with paralysis by translating neural activity into control signals for assistive devices such as computer cursors, robotic limbs, and functional electrical stimulation systems. Despite rapid advances in understanding and decoding movement-related neural activity, BCIs remain limited by implant technology that is now more than 40 years old. Current electrode arrays are not ideally suited to long-term recording, due to their relatively large size, low channel count and lack of integration with neural tissue. A new interface is needed to provide stable long-term recordings of thousands of neurons over many years.

NeuroRoots is a collaborative project that aims to provide the missing piece of this puzzle; a robust, implantable BCI platform with minimal damage to neural tissue, long-term recording stability, and unobtrusive footprint. This project builds on a unique approach, using ultra-flexible and low-profile implantable electronics that can reliably record the brain activity necessary to provide stable control signals for assistive technologies. Inspired by biological structures in the brain, the implant is designed to be similar size and compliance to natural tissues, providing high channel counts, stable recordings and low immune response. This project is a collaboration between physical scientists and clinicians, designed from the ground up for translation to humans. The goal is to develop this promising technology for clinical application, moving beyond new scientific insights and making a real-world impact."

Company

"The last decade has seen amazing progress in neuroscience, enabling researchers to envision a new generation of brain machine interfaces. These systems will be used to treat chronic diseases like Parkinson's, epilepsy, and Alzheimer's. They will restore mobility to the paralyzed and speed recovery from a stroke. They may even allow us to control our mood and enhance our cognition. Rune Labs wants to build the software at the heart of these systems, and help accelerate the next wave of neuromodulation applications."