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The future of brain–computer interfaces in medicine

Growing interest in non-invasive brain–computer interfaces, rather than implants, might improve accessibility for patients, but resolution needs to be improved.
By
  1. Paul Webster

    1. Paul is a freelance writer reporting from Canada.

Image credit: Denis Pobytov / DigitalVision Vectors / Getty

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There is a worldwide race for marketable medical devices that harness brain–computer interfaces (BCIs). So far, attention has largely focused on sensors implanted in the brain and connected to computers, but such implants are medically risky and expensive. This means brain implants will probably only ever reach niche populations of wealthy patients, says José del R. Millán, co-director of the Cellular to Clinically Applied Rehabilitation Research and Engineering program at the University of Texas at Austin.

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Nature Medicine 30, 1508-1509 (2024)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41591-024-00031-3

The Clinical Pipeline is a column on translational and clinical research, from bench to bedside.

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