Brain reading technology could help development of brainwave-controlled devices

A new method to accurately record brain activity at scale has been developed by researchers at UCL, the Crick, and Stanford University. The technique could lead to new medical devices to help amputees, people with paralysis or people with neurological conditions such as motor neurone disease. The research in mice, published in Science Advances , developed an accurate and scalable method to record brain activity across large areas, including on the surface and in deeper regions simultaneously. Using the latest in electronics and engineering techniques, the new device combines silicon chip technology with super-slim microwires, up to 15-times thinner than a human hair. The wires are so thin they can be placed deep in the brain without causing significant damage. Alongside its ability to accurately monitor brain activity, the device could also be used to inject electrical signals into precise areas of the brain. "This technology provides the basis for lots of exciting future developments beyond neuroscience research," said co-lead author Professor Andreas Schaefer (UCL Neuroscience, Physiology & Pharmacology and The Francis Crick Institute).