Here's what it's like inside the operating room when someone gets a brain implant
Brain Implants: Miracle or Overreach?
Precision Neuroscience is testing its brain-computer interface in human patients at Mount Sinai Health System in New York, setting a record by using four devices simultaneously. The technology aims to help patients with severe paralysis regain functions like speech and movement. During a surgery observed by CNBC, the arrays detected detailed signals from the patient's fingers, marking a significant advancement in neural monitoring and surgical precision.
What specific functions does Precision Neuroscience aim to restore in patients with severe paralysis using their brain-computer interface?
Precision Neuroscience aims to use its brain-computer interface (BCI) technology to help patients with severe paralysis restore critical functions such as speech and movement134. This application of the BCI technology is designed to decode neural signals from the brain and translate them into commands that can control external devices or assist in communication and mobility, thereby improving the quality of life for individuals affected by severe paralysis134.
What are the differences between the wired and wireless versions of Precision's brain-computer interface, and what are their respective approval processes with the FDA?
The wired version of Precision's brain-computer interface (BCI) is designed for use in a hospital setting or monitored care unit for up to 30 days at a time. This version has already been tested in several clinical studies, including a recent procedure where four of the company's electrode arrays were placed on the surface of a patient's brain for the first time. The wired version is currently awaiting FDA approval, which the company hopes to receive within a few months.
The permanent implant version of Precision's BCI is designed to transmit signals wirelessly and would be implanted in patients for long-term use. This version will go through a separate approval process with the FDA. Precision hopes to implant "a few dozen" patients with the wired version of its technology by the end of the year to collect data and gain a "very high level of confidence" in its ability to decode movement and speech signals in real-time. The company aims to have a more advanced version of the technology available within a few years.