Have you ever wondered how brain-computer interface (BCI) devices like Neuralink actually work?

It starts with the fact that the vast majority of our conscious brain activity happens on its surface, where neurons communicate using electrical signals. We can place small electrodes on this surface to record these signals, in the form of electroencephalogram (EEG). This has been used for a century to diagnose epilepsy.

But what’s different now is that AI can identify intricate patterns in this EEG that are otherwise imperceptible to humans. By placing hundreds or even thousands of tiny electrodes on the brain, we can capture far more details and translate that into tasks like moving a cursor on a screen or controlling devices/prosthesis purely with the thoughts. This can help a lot of patients with brain and spinal cord injury. Some BCI devices are already being implanted in patients with epilepsy to detect and stop seizures.