Teeny tiny, almost wearable brain-computer interface gets ‘closer to the source of the signals’ by fitting between hair follicles and only lasts between six and 12 hours

Brain Computer Interfaces, or BCIs are futuristic devices that do exactly what it says on the tin; Allow a brain to interface directly with a computer. While this may sound like pure science fiction, it’s actually even better, it’s science fact. BCIs are being used all the time to help aid people in all sorts of ways. One BCI might be used to help a paralyzed user navigate their phone and talk to loved ones by monitoring brave waves, another may help an amputee use their prosthetic limb, while others might just monitor brain waves for research purposes. Now one team at Georgia Tech has managed to further the use of BCIs by developing new tiny interfaces that can be inserted between hair follicles.

While BCIs are already well and truly out there and established, they could still be better. One of the biggest hurdles BCIs face is finding the balance between being a robust piece of tech that can effectively monitor and translate brain signals, with being something fairly inobtrusive a user can wear.

This becomes especially important as tasks become more intense. A test requiring a user to move around while still having some sort of brain reading probe will need something much lighter than those restricted to hospital beds. That’s where devices like this tiny new BCI come in.

Rather than having to wear a large headset or go through some intrusive surgery, these BCIs are designed to be minimally invasive while still giving an excellent connection. This method uses the latest micronoodling technology to painlessly place the tech just under the skin between hair follicles. Each sensor, plus accompanying flexible cables, fits in a package under one millimetre in size, allowing for this minimally invasive technique.

“I started this research because my main goal is to develop new sensor technology to support healthcare and I had previous experience with brain-computer interfaces and flexible scalp electronics,” says Hong Yeo, who is also a faculty member in Georgia Tech’s Institute for People and Technology.

“I knew we needed better BCI sensor technology and discovered that if we can slightly penetrate the skin and avoid hair by miniaturizing the sensor, we can dramatically increase the signal quality by getting closer to the source of the signals and reduce unwanted noise.”

So far studies of the device appear promising. In tests the connection to the device lasted for up to 12 hours. During this time users were able to walk, run, and generally participate in every day activities all while still being able to use the BCIs. Even during activity the BCIs were able to determine what the users eyes were focussing on, allowing them to use an AR interface to control their phones all without lifting a finger.

This could help usher BCIs beyond just the niche health applications and into the general tech world. As I write this I’m sitting on a plane and using my brain to check my phone, or change the music I’m listening to, sounds mighty appealing over digging through my seat pocket to find it.

With BCIs like this one we could see a truly hands free future coming to phones, general computing, and even gaming. I can’t wait to stare off into the feed like a character from Murderbot, and doomscroll on the corporation rim.