Neurotechnology

What is Neurotechnology?

Neurotechnology refers to methods and devices which interface with the brain to monitor or modulate neural activity. It encompasses all technologies developed to understand the brain, visualise its processes and even control, repair or improve its functions. 

 In its simplest form, neurotechnology is the integration of technical components with the nervous system. These components can be computers, electrodes or any other piece of engineering that can be set up to interface with the electric pulses coursing through our bodies.

The field of Neurotechnology, while still very much in its infancy, will dramatically change the way we do our daily tasks. And, if you believe people like Elon Musk, it may even one day provide  a basis for humanity to merge with artificial intelligence. Who knows, someday you may even get a brain implant to make you smarter than Einstein!

Objectives

Neurotechnology has three main objectives.

First, to read neural activity - understand what is happening in the brain enabling us to understand the emotions the brain is experiencing. This detection of human emotions throws huge possibilities. It could also expose what controls the brain wants to apply on the body. This could be of help to paralytic patients who are unable to use their own limbs, but can be helped by artificial limbs just by control of their mind.

Second, to manipulate neural activity – either enhance or diminish something happening in the brain. This could be of huge help in medical field where the ailment is due to neurological disorders.

A third possibility is in the field of augmenting cognitive abilities of the brain. Implanted devices could make us smarter, improve our memory, help with decision-making and eventually provide an extension of the human mind – a concept called as Human Augmentation or Transhumanism.

Applications

Neurotechnology has wide applications in medical care. In addition, Neurotechnology is also finding applications in the fields of education and learning. Here, we’ll discuss some of these.

Brain Waves

Neurons or Brain cells communicate via electrical impulses and are active all the time, even during sleep. These impulses are in the form of waves called Brain Waves. These are oscillating electrical voltages measuring just a few millionths of a volt, can be measured and plotted using appropriate devices. This electric nature of the brain is at the core of Neurotechnology.

Types of Brain Waves

The frequency and nature of Brain Waves depends on the brain activity at the moment There are five widely recognized brain waves associated with different brain conditions

1. delta (<4Hz) commonly associated with deep sleep and comatose states

2. theta (4-8Hz) the most common waves during sleep and certain memory processes

3. alpha (8-13 Hz) commonly associated with drowsiness, sleep onset, attention, memory, and visual processes

4. beta (13-30Hz) associated with cognitive function often requiring rigorous mental activity and concentration

5. gamma (30-80Hz) associated with attention processes and heightened states of perception

 There are various methods and techniques to measure brain waves that help in identifying state of the brain.

EEG

An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a non-invasive technique through which we determine state of the brain.

In this test, brain’s electrical activity is measured using small electrodes attached to the scalp. The test captures Brain Waves that show up as wavy lines on an EEG recording. The EEG recordings can be analyzed to get an understanding of what is happening in the brain.

fMRI

fMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) is a Non-invasive brain imaging technology that detects brain activity by measuring changes in blood flow. It is essentially an MRI performed on Brain. While an MRI scan allows doctors to examine a patient’s organs, tissue, or bones, an fMRI looks at the functions of the brain.

An fMRI can reveal what part of the brain is active during specific functions, such as lifting your arm or even just thinking about something. Researchers and physicians can use this information to better understand, diagnose, monitor, and treat various conditions.

Brain Computer Interface

Brain Computer Interface (BCI) is a direct communication pathway between the brain's electrical activity and an external device, like a computer or robotic limb.

The brain’s electrical activity is detected using tiny electrodes. Implementations of BCIs range from non-invasive and partially invasive to invasive, based on how close electrodes get to the brain tissue.

Turning brain signals into commands for a computer system means patients will be able to move a cursor, type on a keyboard, manipulate a prosthetic - just by using their brain. In 2015, researchers at the University of Houston succeeded in making an amputee control his prosthetic hand using only his mind for the first time - without the need for an invasive brain implant.

Ongoing Research

Elon Musk’s Neuralink plans to go beyond medical applications of BCI. It wants to use BCIs in a bi-directional capacity, so that plugging in a chip in our brain could make us smarter, improve our memory, help with decision-making and eventually provide an extension of the human mind.

Without this technology, Musk argues that humans will be unable to keep pace with advances in artificial intelligence, and that humans will become the intellectual equivalent of the house cat.

Neuralink BCI technology is called ‘neural lace’. In essence, neural lace is an ultra-thin mesh that is implanted in the skull, and forms a body of electrodes which are able to monitor brain function.

In May’23, US FDA has given approval for human trials of this technology for use in medical care.

Neuralink is targeting that eventually neural lace would enable humans to upload or download information directly from a computer. And, just like Neo from The Matrix, in a matter of minutes you too could proclaim "I know Kung Fu”.

Silicon Valley is abuzz with many similar projects.

The field of neurotechnology encompasses many techniques and types of technology. From being able to record the activity of a single neuron firing, to modulating the activity of entire brain regions, there's no doubt neurotechnology is and will continue to change the way we treat neurological and psychiatric conditions.

But, Neurotechnology has applications beyond medical field. Experts predict that in 20-30 years, Brain implants will be just as common and acceptable as cardiac pacemakers are today. If that happens, Neurotechnology has potential to completely transform the way we learn and experience. 

Mark Zuckerberg says that people will one day be able to share “full sensory and emotional experiences” online – not just photos and videos!

Elon Musk says that people would need to become cyborgs to be relevant in an artificial intelligence age. He says that merger of biological intelligence and machine intelligence would be necessary to ensure we stay economically valuable.