When BCI technology combines with AI

A man experiments with BCI (Brainstorming) to control hand movements. Photo: SCMP

BCI is a technology that connects the human brain to an external device or computer via sensors placed around the head or implanted in the head. Over the past decade, this technology has been used for people with paralysis or neurodegenerative diseases.

Recently, many companies, primarily in China and the United States, have integrated large language models (LLMs) into brain implants. This allows scientists to decode brain activity more accurately than traditional signal processing and data analysis technologies.

The first human trials

NeuroXess is one of the Chinese companies that has conducted small-scale clinical trials, including trials of an artificial intelligence (AI)-based brain implant to assist people with paralysis.

The device is placed on the skull, while its sensors are attached to the cerebral cortex. The system then connects to a data transmitter and battery pack, implanted in the patient's chest. In the trial, a 28-year-old man with a spinal cord injury was able to control electrical devices using his thoughts via a computer application after receiving the brain device.

NeuroXess has also developed an LLM that allows brain implants to decode Mandarin Chinese in real time at a rate of 300 characters per minute, which is faster than the average speaking speed of about 220 characters for a native speaker. This AI model generated words and phrases for a 35-year-old woman with epilepsy.

Earlier this month, several BCI devices impressed at a technology exhibition in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. Shenzhen CAS-Envision Medical Technology brought a pair of glasses to the event that help the visually impaired "see" objects with a resolution of 60 pixels. The latest experiments on animals have achieved a resolution of up to 1,500 pixels.

Meanwhile, Maschine Robot (based in Beijing) is collaborating with American universities to develop specialized AI models for BCI.

In June, Maschine Robot plans to unveil a smart wheelchair controlled by BCI to assist people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The AI system will decode brain activity collected from a headband, then interpret the information by tracking the user's eye movements, and control the wheelchair's movement.

With ambitions to become a leader in BCI by the end of this decade, the Chinese government wants researchers to achieve major technological breakthroughs in BCI by 2027 and establish 2-3 world- class companies in the next few years. In March, Beijing approved the world's first commercial BCI device developed by biomedical technology company Neuracle Medical Technology, which helps restore some hand movements for people with spinal cord injuries.

MINH DŨNG (According to Nature, Global Times)

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/khi-cong-nghe-bci-ket-hop-voi-ai-a205158.html