BCIs & Neurotechnology News and Discussions

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[caltrek]

Silicon Valley Wants to Put a Chip in Your Brain
By Calder McHugh
May , 2026

Introduction:

(Politico) There will come a time, in the not-so-distant future, when you decide to stick a computer chip in your brain.

At least, that’s what D. Scott Phoenix told the audience at TED 2026 in Vancouver last month.

“Someone you work with will get it first. And you’ll hold out for a while, the way you did with the smartphone. But eventually, you won’t,” said Phoenix, dressed in all black with a tiny mic attached to his ear. “The advantages of integration will be hard to compete with.”

Put bluntly, in his view, “We’re on the cusp of the next major transition, the merger of humans and AI.”

This perspective, as outlandish as it may sound, is commonly held in Silicon Valley. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman mused way back in 2017 that “a merge is probably our best-case scenario” for survival after the emergence of superhuman AI. Tech billionaire Peter Thiel is a vocal advocate of “transhumanism.”

Read more here: https://www.politico.com/news/magazine ... 0900799

caltrek’s comment: I can almost imagine all sorts of science fiction books and movies centered on this theme. For example, a civil war between those with implants and those without based on how said implants radically transform recipients understanding of the world, including their loyalties.

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Well, the start of the merging is starting! Good news. We don't want to be separate form it.

[firestar464]

oh yes, I yearn to become of one mind and one flesh with Elon Musk

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[caltrek]

Brain-computer Interface Enables Independent, Accurate Communication for Man Living with ALS
June 15, 2026

Introduction:

(Eurekalert) A new study demonstrates that a person with severe paralysis caused by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) can use a brain-computer interface (BCI) at home to communicate, work and interact with the digital world — without the need for researcher support. Published today in Nature Medicine, its results mark a significant step toward delivering practical, assistive technology for people with severe speech and motor impairments.

The BCI system was developed at UC Davis, in collaboration with colleagues at Brown University and Mass General Brigham Neuroscience Institute. It is equipped with advanced decoding algorithms that translate neural signals into text (speech BCI) and enable cursor control (movement BCI). It allows for full interaction with a personal computer.

The brain-computer interface is designed to restore communication and computer control by decoding neural activity linked to attempted speech and movement. Although recent advances have achieved high accuracy in research settings, real-world adoption has been limited by two key challenges: independent at-home use and reliable long-term performance.

The new BCI system overcomes both barriers. The study shows that it can now support rich, independent digital and in-person communication in real-world settings.

"For years, BCIs have been proof-of-concept devices that lived in highly controlled research labs. This work shows that we may have crossed a threshold, by empowering a person with paralysis to speak on his own terms,” said UC Davis neurosurgeon David Brandman. Brandman is the co-principal investigator and co-senior author of this study. He is an associate professor in the UC Davis Department of Neurological Surgery and co-director of the UC Davis Neuroprosthetics Lab.

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1132151

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