Brain-Computer Interface

A Brain-Computer Interface lets you control a machine using only brain signals, or lets a machine send signals into the brain, without typing on a keyboard or speaking.

Think of the brain as a city that talks through electrical signals. This technology acts as an interpreter connecting that city to the outside world. There are broadly two approaches. One is surgical: opening the skull and implanting a chip to read and write neural signals directly. The other is non-surgical: introducing tiny particles or sensors into the brain without cutting into the body. Either way, the core idea is the same — reading the activity of specific neurons for a computer to interpret, or stimulating a specific area to deliver information.

Until now, the priority has mainly been medical, helping paralyzed patients move a cursor or type sentences using only their thoughts. But recently, attempts have emerged to grow this technology into a next-generation interface that could replace everyday devices like smartphones or computers for healthy people as well.

In the article, it's introduced that "Subsense is a company developing a Brain-Computer Interface (BCI), like Elon Musk's Neuralink." However, while BCI often brings to mind skull-opening surgery, non-surgical approaches like Subsense's method of inhaling nanoparticles through the nose are also considered BCI. It's also worth noting that not undergoing surgery doesn't necessarily mean it's completely safe or non-invasive.