Brain-Computer Interfaces

BCIs have moved from research to clinical-trial year 2 with multiple platforms in human trials. The session covers Synchron Stentrode (the COMMAND trial), Neuralink (PRIME study) and Blackrock NeuroPort, speech restoration in ALS via cortical motor BCI (UCSF and Stanford studies), motor BCI for paralysis, closed-loop neuromodulation for depression and OCD, BCI ethics and pre-emptive policy frameworks, and the regulatory pathway under FDA Breakthrough Device. Discussion addresses non-invasive BCIs (EEG-based, near-infrared), the comparison of microelectrode vs ECoG vs endovascular approaches, BCI for psychiatric indications (depression, addiction, OCD), BCI in pediatric populations, and the data privacy and brain-data ownership debate.