Category Archives: Neurotechnology

The University System of Georgia Board of Regents has approved a new Neuroscience and Neurotechnology Ph.D. Program at Georgia Tech.

The interdisciplinary degree is a joint effort across the Colleges of Sciences, Computing, and Engineering. The program expects to enroll its first graduate students in Fall 2025, pending approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

The Institute Curriculum Committee has also approved a new Minor in Neuroscience, set to become available in the Georgia Tech 2024-2025 Catalog.

The Ph.D. and Minor offerings build on the recently launched Neuro Next Initiative in Research, and the established Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience, respectively.

Approved by the Board of Regents in 2017, the interdisciplinary B.S. in Neuroscience degree in the College of Sciences enrolled more than 400 undergraduate students in 2022, and has been the fastest growing undergraduate major at Georgia Tech.

The B.S. in Neuroscience is also key to a strong ecosystem of undergraduate neuroscience education across the state, which includes peer programs at Mercer University, Augusta University, Georgia State University, Agnes Scott College, and Emory University.

The new doctoral degree will provide a path for the rapidly growing pipeline of in-state neuroscience undergraduate students and young alumni while also welcoming a wider slate of graduate researchers to campus.

The Ph.D. Programs mission is focused on educating students to advance the field of neuroscience through an interdisciplinary approach, with scientists and engineers of diverse backgrounds ultimately integrating neuroscience research and technological development to study all levels of nervous system function.

Biological Sciences Professor Lewis A. Wheaton, who chaired the Ph.D. Program Planning Committee, shares that a cohort model will fuse experimental and quantitative skill development, creating opportunities for students to work in science and engineering labs to promote collaborations, while also fostering a program and community thats unique to the state and against national peer offerings.

Wheaton explains that the new Ph.D. aims to equip graduates for a wide range of employment opportunities and growing specializations, including computational neuroscience, neurorehabilitation, cultural and social neuroscience, neuroimaging, cognitive and behavioral neuroscience, developmental neuroscience, and neurolinguistics.

The new degree will also help meet the countrys growing demand for a neuro-centric workforce. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth for medical scientists (including neuroscientists) tracked around 13% between 2012 and 2022, faster than the average for all tracked occupations.

Wheaton, who also serves as director of the Cognitive Motor Control Lab and director of the Center for Promoting Inclusion and Equity in the Sciences (C-PIES) at Georgia Tech, adds that the program will equip neuroscientists to conduct research that can significantly improve lives.

The Planning Committee anticipates a tentative February 1, 2025 application deadline for Fall 2025 enrollments and encourages students with the following interests to learn more and apply in the coming school year:

Director search

The participating Colleges will soon conduct a search for a program director, engaging a tenured member of the Georgia Tech faculty to serve as the new programs administrator. A graduate program committee composed of five faculty members and mentors across the Colleges of Sciences, Computing, and Engineering, will also be created.

During their April 2024 meeting, Regents also announced budget approvals and tuition changes for Georgia's 26 member institutions.

The Ph.D. Program Planning Committee included the following faculty:

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Georgia Tech to Offer Ph.D. in Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, New Minor | News Center - Georgia Tech News Center

On April 25th, Chinese company Beijing Xinzhida Neurotechnology unveiled its own brain-computer interface (BCI) called Neucyber, which has been used to give a monkey control over a robotic arm [h/t Reuters].

Xinzhida Neurotechnology is backed by the Chinese Community Party, but considering existing reports of less-invasive brain interfaces than Neuralink, it's not unlikely that Chinese researchers could develop a Neuralink-adjacent brain implant.

It seems that the market for brain interfaces is set to be competitive, especially whenever Xinzhida Neurotechnology and Neuralink are both able to safely use them with humans. For now, Xhinzhida's Neucyber is only confirmed to work with monkeys, and no projection for human testing has been given. That might be for the best, considering what's been reported about the monkeys used for Neuralink's testing.

Even with the status of BCIs as-is, the long-term health implications of Neuralink and even Neucyber interfaces in humans are unknown, though the aforementioned Neuralink patient seems to be fine and, in fact, was mentioned by Musk about a month prior to his interview.

Xinzhida Neurotechnology's brain interface was revealed during Beijing, China's annual tech-centric Zhongguancun Forum, following last year's event, which classified BCI technology as "an important cutting-edge emerging technology." We still don't know how long it will take for it to progress to human trialseven the better-known Neuralink still has a ways to go before it becomes mainstream.

Regardless, time's arrow marches forward and with it too, the fascinating, potentially dangerous exploration into brain interfaces and other such genuine cyberpunk technology. Here's hoping a Neuralink or Neucyber brain implant never ignites like a Tesla, right?

For now, though, stories like this are unlikely to be the determining factor in larger-scale conflicts like the U.S. and China Chip War or the international race toward quantum computing superiority. However, growing competition in the area of brain interfaces should be more interesting to monitor as time goes on, especially when less-invasive but still effective interfaces are found.

Join the experts who read Tom's Hardware for the inside track on enthusiast PC tech news and have for over 25 years. We'll send breaking news and in-depth reviews of CPUs, GPUs, AI, maker hardware and more straight to your inbox.

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China developed its very own Neuralink Neucyber brain interface comes from a neurotechnology firm - Tom's Hardware

Tether, the company behind the stablecoin USDT, has announced a strategic investment inBlackrock Neurotech, a pioneer in brain-computer-interface (BCI) technology.

The $200 million investment grants Tether a majority stake in the neurotech firm, Tether said in a Monday (April 29)press release.

Blackrock Neurotech, known for its groundbreaking work in the BCI field, has been at the forefront of developing technologies that enable direct communication between the human brain and external devices, according to the release.

This technology has vast potential applications, including helping people use only their thoughts to operate robotic arms, maneuver wheelchairs, surf the web or drive a car, per the release.

My lifes dream has been to help and restore function in people who lost it and to advance technologies that revolutionize healthcare and the world around us,Florian Solzbacher, co-founder of Blackrock Neurotech, said in the release.

The partnership is poised to accelerate the development and commercialization of Blackrock Neurotechs BCI technology, according to the release.

Both companies have expressed their enthusiasm for the partnership, highlighting the alignment of their visions for the future of technology and its role in improving human life, the release said. Tethers strategic investment in Blackrock Neurotech underscores the growing interest in neurotechnology and its potential to revolutionize various industries.

This investment also reflects Tethers broader strategy of diversifying its portfolio and engaging with cutting-edge technologies that have the potential to redefine our interaction with the digital world, per the release. As the majority stakeholder, Tether is set to play a crucial role in guiding Blackrock Neurotechs strategic direction and scaling its innovative BCI solutions to new heights.

Tether has long believed in nurturing emerging technologies that have transformative capabilities, and the Brain-Computer-Interfaces of Blackrock Neurotech have the potential to open new realms of communication, rehabilitation and cognitive enhancement,Paolo Ardoino, CEOof Tether, said in the release.

In another recent development at Tether, the company said April 19 that it partnered with theTON Foundationto enable customers to sendcryptocurrency paymentsusing encrypted messaging serviceTelegram.

This collaboration aims to create an app that serves as both a communication system and a bank account.

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Tether Acquires Majority Stake in Blackrock Neurotech - PYMNTS.com

Image by Getty / Futurism

A Chinese company says it's successfully developed a brain chip and implanted it into a monkey who can now remotely control a robot arm with the device.

That's according tostate-run news media outfit Xinhua, putting Elon Musk's startup Neuralink on notice that there will be international as well as domestic competition for his brain-computer interface venture.

The company, Beijing Xinzhida Neurotechnology, which is backed by the Chinese government, unveiled its device, the NeuCyber Array BMI (brain-machine interface) System at a technology convention in Beijing on Thursday, according to Reuters.

In a presentation photo at the convention, taken by Xinhua, the company displayed at their booth filmed footage showing the implant in action: a monkey is seen strapped inside a plexiglass enclosure with soft wires leading to its brain.

The video captures the monkey seated in front of a robot arm inside a white lab room, Xinhua reports, seemingly using it to pick up a strawberry.

At the same convention booth on Thursday, the company also displayed the same experimental setup, but used a stuffed monkey toy in place of the live animal, softening what looks like lets be honest a scary torture device straight out of a science fiction horror movie.

"In short, the technology captures the subtle changes of electrical signals from neurons and decodes the brain's intentions, to realize 'thoughts' control 'actions'," Chinese Institute for Brain Research director Luo Minmin,whose employer co-developed the implant,told Xinhua.

Neuralink has already implanted a chip inside a human test subject, 29-year-old quadriplegic patient named Noland Arbaugh. Arbaugh was able to play Mario Kart using the implant during a filmed video demonstration, showing the power and potential of the tech.

But the road to Neuralink's brain chip has been bloody. Test monkeys subjected to Neuralink implants suffered and died, according to gruesome testimony from former employees.

There's also been drama stateside about the federal government apparently failing to inspect Neuralink's facilities before granting permission to implant the device inside a human being, drawing concern from lawmakers.

If Neuralink has had problems with test animals dying and has skirted around government officials to get the implant ready for humans, we can only imagine what this Chinese company might have done in its quest for a brain chip device.

More on brain chip implants: Elon Musk Compares Neuralink to "A 'Black Mirror' Episode"

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China Shows Off Monkey With Brain Chip Allowing It to Control Robotic Arm - Futurism

The world is on the cusp of a neurotechnology revolution that could transform human health and welfare, but urgent action is needed to protect brain data, experts told AFP.

Medical neurotechnology breakthroughs have allowed paralysed people to walk again, or deaf people to hear.

Elon Musk's firm Neuralink has also publicised advances with brain implants, pushing the idea they could one day be a lifestyle choice rather than a medical device.

But three experts gathered in Paris as part of a panel to advise UNESCO, the UN's agency for science and culture, told AFP the technology was already starting to proliferate.

"This is really a crucial moment in human history," said Marcello Ienca of the Technical University of Munich in Germany.

"For the first time, we are developing the tools to understand and modify the functioning of the human brain and modify the functioning of the human brain."

Ienca and the other experts interviewed by AFP research scientist Nataliya Kosmyna and entrepreneur Ryota Kanai stressed that the emerging field was much wider than isolated medical breakthroughs, with an array of consumer products already on the market.

They said the technology would be widely available in just a few years and ethical guidance would be vital.

UNESCO has formed a group of 24 experts to help draft an "ethical framework" for the emerging technology, hoping to get agreement from UN member states by the end of next year.

A new species

Musk has positioned himself at the centre of efforts to publicise neurotechnology, making eye-catching claims suggesting humans could become telepathic or upload their consciousnesses and in effect live forever.

Kosmyna said some of Musk's more outlandish statements were probably aimed more at attracting potential investors than reflecting the reality of the technology.

But Kosmyna, who designs and develops wearable devices such as glasses and hats that process brain data, said the field had the potential to transform humanity.

"I absolutely believe in the augmented human and that we are about to create a new species," she said.

And although the experts were broadly sceptical of many of Musk's claims, they said his firm was doing some original work.

Ienca said Neuralink was the only firm currently thinking of brain implants for enhancement rather than medical needs.

However, the experts said wearable technology was far more likely to turn a profit in the short term.

"You not going to drill your skull, but you're going to wear these (devices)," said Kosmyna.

She estimated in the next five years classrooms and other settings would be revolutionised by wearable technology that would allow teachers to monitor their students and tell if they were bored, confused or engaged.

Two-tier planet

UNESCO is aiming to make sure that all such technology respects human rights.

"There can be no neurodata without neurorights," said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay in a statement.

Ienca pointed out that Apple had recently patented technology that will allow the next generation of Airpods to gather brain data.

"Apple will be able to collect brain activity information continuously from hundreds of millions of people," he said.

The data could be put to all sorts of uses from healthcare to marketing and needed to be protected, he said.

A secondary concern is making sure the products actually do what their manufacturers say.

Devices already on the market claim to all kinds of powers from solving mental health issues to boosting productivity at work.

"Even neuroscientists don't know if that kind of claim is true," said Kanai, CEO of Araya, a Japanese AI and neurotech firm.

Of much wider concern, said Ienca, was that we could create a "two-tier planet" divided between "the enhanced and the non-enhanced".

"This could be the end of human social cohesion as we know it," he said. AFP

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World must act on neurotech revolution, say experts - The Star Online

I appreciated Heitners gentle encouragement to parents to stop tracking their teenagers every movement and online conversation. Ive long been opposed to LoJacking kids and believe that they deserve a reasonable degree of freedom of movement. As I wrote in 2020, monitoring younger children and teens has the potential to make them more anxious because it can send a message that theyre always potentially unsafe or that we dont trust them.

I also worry that when we track them too closely, were priming them to accept a level of surveillance from authority that has grave consequences, as outlined by another book that makes my 3 a.m. worries about violated privacy and public shaming via social media seem like childs play. These days, most parents can imagine the viral video scenario, but fewer of us might have considered that there are potentially greater existential threats to their intellectual and physical freedom looming on the horizon.

In that book, The Battle for Your Brain: Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology, Nita Farahany, a professor of law and philosophy at Duke Law School who studies the ethical, legal and social implications of emerging technologies, describes a near-future world of brain transparency, in which scientists, doctors, governments and companies may peer into our brains and minds at will.

I started the book skeptically, but Farahany convinced me that the reality of brain tracking is much closer than I imagined. She explains that in China, a variety of different employers are already using electroencephalogram, or E.E.G., sensors a kind of brain wave tracker to monitor their workers fatigue levels, productivity and emotional states.

Just last month, The Times ran an article about Ann Johnson, who had a stroke at 30 that paralyzed her and left her unable to speak. As Pam Belluck reported:

In a milestone of neuroscience and artificial intelligence, implanted electrodes decoded Mrs. Johnsons brain signals as she silently tried to say sentences. Technology converted her brain signals into written and vocalized language, and enabled an avatar on a computer screen to speak the words and display smiles, pursed lips and other expressions.

When used for good, these kinds of technologies inspire awe even E.E.G. sensors, when used sensibly and humanely, can help truck drivers and pilots avoid fatigue-related accidents. But Farahany encourages us to think ahead a few decades and ask ourselves: If these technologies are developed without appropriate legal constraints or guardrails the way social media ran roughshod for years, before lawmakers started pushing back it puts our civil liberties at risk and could push subsequent generations to greater intellectual and creative conformity.

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Opinion | The Fight for Your Kids' Brains Has Already Begun - The New York Times

If Leonard White shows you around the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, theres a good chance he will hand you an actual brain. It weighs about three pounds, but unlike the squishy one in your skull, brains preserved for study feel rubbery. And visitors love to hold them.

They respond with wonder, with excitement, with maybe a bit of nervousness, but with amazing curiosity, says White. And its a very rewarding experience for my guests, as well as for myself.

As associate director of DIBS and an associate professor of neurology, White is one of about 200 researchers, scientists, physicians and educators at Duke who are working to defend our brains against an onslaught of physical, psychological and technological forces. Ailments such as stroke, Alzheimers and Lou Gehrigs disease (ALS), and disorders such as anxiety, depression and addiction are constantly on the attack. Newer, more philosophical threats are being raised by the significant advances taking place in electronic technology and artificial intelligence.

The concerns are too broad for one department to contain, says White. Its more than neuroscience, its more than psychology, its more than biology, theory or computational science. It has to involve all of that.

So DIBS, founded in 2008, acts as the hub for the network of Duke resources that share an interest in the brain: its physiology, its function, its relation to the rest of the body and the world.

We certainly imagined that there would be contributions from across the university in domains that brain scientists working in their labs seldom encountered, White says. Including folks over at the law school.

Those folks include Nita Farahany A.M.04, J.D.04, Ph.D.06, Robinson O. Everett distinguished professor of law and philosophy, founding director of the Duke Initiative for Science & Society, and a member of that DIBS faculty network. Her book The Battle for Your Brain: Defending the Right To Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology came out in March and raised a fundamental and terrifying issue about our brains whether whats in there is private.

Scientists, companies, governments can actually decode attention, basic emotions, and information from your brain, she says, which she finds deeply worrying. Farahany studies the ethical, legal, and social aspects of emerging technologies such as genomics and artificial intelligence. So she has watched closely as technology for interpreting internal brain processes from the outside has progressed. She calls the brain the last fortress, and she wants to make sure it has the battlements and drawbridges it needs.

Brain research goes on all over Duke, but Farahany is leading the way in defending our brains from those looking inside. After climate change, our most existential current threat she says, is the lack of ability to think freely in the age of neurotechnology and AI.

After climate change, our most existential current threat is the lack of ability to think freely in the age of neurotechnology and AI.

Nita Farahany

Farahany connects to this issue personally. She has suffered from migraines all her life, so she recognizes the enormous value in the improved capacity to look into the brain from the outside. I would be a very different human being if I didnt have the ability to intentionally both peer into my own brain and find every therapeutic method that could try to make it feel better. And her family background is Iranian, so shes seen members of her own family suffer censorship and self-censorship in reaction to the surveillance state and fears misuse of invasive technology here.

Scientists have long been able to track the brains electrical activity through electroencephalograms (EEG) and blood flow through enormous magnetic resonance imagery (MRI) machines, giving basic understanding of brain functions. Functional MRI (fMRI) gives a glimpse into the real-time status of brain activity, showing where blood flow increases during different tasks. If youre thinking of something happy, certain regions of your brain respond of something stressful, other regions. An fMRI can literally watch you think, and thus, perhaps, show someone else what youre thinking. But Farahany gives examples of much smaller, more portable devices that measure various aspects of brain function, making heretofore completely personal information plausibly public. Neurofeedback headsets, for example, that enable you to manage your state of mind but people use these devices, she warns, without thinking about where that data is going.

In some cases, these devices can do tremendous good. Chinese high-speed rail drivers wear caps that measure drowsiness and keep them from falling asleep at the wheel. On the other hand, she describes a defendant in the United Arab Emirates who was forced to undergo an EEG, in which law enforcement scientists saw a recognition pattern when he was shown pictures of the crime.

Im really careful with the language I use to not try to overstretch about what it is that can be decoded from the brain, she says. If I had launched the book a year ago, I think it would have launched into some skepticism. But in May, the University of Texas published a study that found that powerful artificial intelligence could in some circumstances decode the brainwaves of subjects listening to a news story and recreate the story from their brainwaves. Skepticism diminishes, and Farahany advises action.

If we just follow the passive approach to all this technology, she says, we know where it goes, and thats not good, right? So for Farahany that means the time to move is now. As I lay this out, most people can fill in the blanks and be like, Were screwed, right? Happily, I dont end there. But this is our last bastion of freedom; theres no other form of privacy thats left after that. So, obviously, the next step: We put into place some rights and remedies now. As she says in her book, we need to make it a clear legal priority to protect our mental experiences as much as our other physical ones.

Alison Adcock, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, director of the Duke Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and interim director of DIBS, agrees. People have a pretty impressive talent for coming up with rules that suit them and their pockets, she says. I think the kinds of guardrails that [Farahany is] interested in are important to be thinking about. She also stresses that the kind of brain information Farahany is concerned about can be gathered currently only with the cooperation of the subject. The University of Texas study, for example, required participants to spend hours in MRI machines to train the AI to interpret their brain responses.

Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, a faculty network member of DIBS, Chauncey Stillman distinguished professor of practical ethics, and a member of the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, agrees. If cognitive liberty is interpreted in such a way that employers are not allowed to force their employees to wear these devices, then yes, it can make a difference. Consumers may avoid a company that forces its employees to compromise their liberty, or investors may not invest. So yes, an international law could make a difference. I dont think itll stop it, but it will certainly slow the spread. But he, like Adcock and Farahany, fears that the rapid improvement in AI and the erosion of privacy everywhere represent developments equally concerning.

In fact, with colleagues and students hes involved in the earliest stages of trying to design a device that would advocate for you before you interact with a website or device. You would identify your beliefs and preferences and the device, whatever it turned out to be, would predict and protect your rights. Before you give away your rights, you can be informed that this violates your values, he says, though such a device is a long way off.

Farahany raises powerful issues about privacy and, as she says, cognitive liberty. All over Duke scientists are working on brain research that, in one way or another, defends our brains. Adcocks lab works with volunteer participants to see whether they can use neurofeedback from within an MRI machine to improve their performance on motivational tasks, hopefully developing an understanding that will enable people to improve performance on tasks throughout their lives. Jamila Minga, assistant professor of head and neck surgery & communication sciences and member of the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, works with survivors of right-hemisphere stroke, trying to understand the unique communication issues they face.

Gregory Cogan, assistant professor in the departments of neurology and neurosurgery and a member of the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, is collaborating with the lab of Jonathan Viventi, assistant professor in the department of biomedical engineering. The two are working to create flexible electronic devices that could improve the capacity of those with neurodegenerative disorders such as ALS or multiple sclerosis to communicate. And William Wetsel, associate professor in psychiatry and behavioral sciences, works with mice to find pharmacological molecules that will help treat anxiety, depression and addiction.

DIBS does more than support and connect researchers; it contains a strong element of pure education. It provides internships and educational opportunities to high school and college students, and on Coursera, White teaches a course on medical neuroscience that is one of the websites most popular offerings. White calls that possibly the achievement of which I am most proud, enabling him to connect with people all over the world united in their passion for brain science.

DIBS is planning exhibits around the recognizable glass box entrance to its basement space in the Levine Science Research Center, and Adcock hopes for an on-campus MRI machine, so students, researchers and study subjects will not need to enter the medical environment of the hospital. This would not only add research capacity but increase opportunities for nonclinical MRI uses.

Adcock imagines students thinking about their relationships with their brains, she says, who can then reflect on this experience and talk to philosophy professors about it.

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DEFENDING THE BRAIN | Duke Mag - Duke University

Elon Musk, the visionary entrepreneur and tech genius, has been making headlines with his groundbreaking innovations and remarkable success. As the founder and CEO of companies such as Tesla and SpaceX, Musk has revolutionized multiple industries, pushing the boundaries of what is possible.

One of Musks most notable achievements is his work in the electric vehicle industry. With the creation of Tesla, Musk brought electric cars into the mainstream consciousness, challenging the dominance of traditional combustion engines. Teslas Model S, Model 3, and Model X have gained widespread acclaim for their cutting-edge technology and impressive performance. Musks vision for a sustainable future and his commitment to renewable energy have also led to the development of Teslas solar energy division.

Space travel is another area where Musk has made significant contributions. Through SpaceX, Musk aims to make space exploration more accessible and affordable. The companys reusable rockets and ambitious plans for colonization of Mars have captured the imagination of the world. Musks SpaceX has successfully launched numerous missions, including cargo resupply missions to the International Space Station.

Apart from Tesla and SpaceX, Musk is also involved in other ventures such as Neuralink and The Boring Company. Neuralink is a neurotechnology company focused on developing implantable brainmachine interfaces, while The Boring Company aims to revolutionize tunneling and transportation infrastructure.

Elon Musks strategic vision, determination, and willingness to take risks have played a crucial role in his success. He has become a symbol of innovation, inspiring countless entrepreneurs and revolutionizing industries. Musks impact is likely to continue shaping the future, as he relentlessly pursues his ambitious goals.

Sources: Definition of electric vehicle: An electric vehicle is a mode of transport that uses one or more electric motors for propulsion, instead of a traditional internal combustion engine. Definition of space exploration: Space exploration is the discovery and exploration of celestial structures in outer space. Definition of neurotechnology: Neurotechnology refers to any technology that has a fundamental influence on how the brain functions. Definition of tunneling: Tunneling is the process of constructing underground structures, such as tunnels or underground passages.

*This article is based on the original source material without the use of URLs.

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The Innovations and Success of Elon Musk - OPP.Today

Description

The healthcare industry is one of the major sectors where artificial intelligence is being explored and applied the most. Several organisations and medical practitioners are increasingly harnessing technology to transform the healthcare industry, improve patient care, reduce costs, and streamline administrative processes. In February, WSJ reported about doctors who are using AI technology to help Read more

The healthcare industry is one of the major sectors where artificial intelligence is being explored and applied the most. Several organisations and medical practitioners are increasingly harnessing technology to transform the healthcare industry, improve patient care, reduce costs, and streamline administrative processes.

In February, WSJ reported about doctors who are using AI technology to help detect new heart problems. Some doctors are also using AI programs to help identify an eye condition that can lead to blindness and patients at risk for sepsis, and even for research purposes.

Whats more, AI can even be used to accelerate the drug discovery process by identifying new drug targets and designing new drugs, performing more precise and minimally invasive surgery procedures, and even providing 24/7 healthcare virtual assistance services.

There are several companies making these feats possible in the healthcare industry. In no particular order, below are some of the biggest companies transforming the procedures in healthcare with AI technology.

Cera is one of the largest digital-first home healthcare providers in Europe. The company recently launched an AI-powered tool called Falls Prediction AI, which can predict old people who are most likely to fall at home. By collecting key information such as poor sleep or a change in mood, Ceras Fall Prediction AI can reportedly tell if a patient or elderly person is at risk of falling, with an 83% accuracy rate.

In the United Kingdom, the total annual cost of fragility fractures caused by falls is estimated at a whopping 4.4 billion (over $5.6 billion). Cera said its new AI tool would eradicate this problem, prevent hospitalizations, and ultimately improve social care, Cryptopolitan reported.

Insilico Medicine is one of the leading companies exploring the use of AI technology for drug discovery. Its AI platform, Pharma.AI, leverages the technology to automate many of the steps involved in the drug discovery process, from target identification to drug design.

The application of AI helps reduce the cost and time involved in drug discovery and development processes.

Stryker, a medical device company specializing in Medical and Surgical, Neurotechnology, Orthopedics, and Spine, uses AI with robotics technology for surgery procedures. Its robotic device called Mako assists surgeons in placing knee implants based on an individual patients unique anatomy.

The robotic arm works using 3D CT-based pre-operative planning. Prior to the surgery stage, a CT scan of the patients knee is taken first and used to create a 3D virtual model of the patients unique joint.

Based on the 3D models, the doctors would then prepare a patient-specific surgical plan, with which they would guide Makos robotic arm in performing the surgery.

Healx is a UK-based company that is using AI to accelerate the discovery and development of treatments for rare diseases. The company uses AI and machine learning to analyze millions of data points, including patient records, genetic data, and drug information, to identify new drug targets and potential treatments.

We bring treatments from prediction to patient. Artificial intelligence enables us to rapidly identify which novel drug-disease relationships have the highest chance of success and effectively scale a drug pipeline that will deliver significant patient impact, Healx stated on its website.

Vuno is a healthcare company in South Korea that provides a suite of AI-powered medical image analysis tools to assist radiologists in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Its flagship product is VUNO Med covers several medical image analyzing tools that can help to detect diseases earlier, provide clinical decision support, and improve the efficiency of radiology workflows.

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Top Companies Using AI to Transform the Healthcare Industry ... - Cryptopolitan

UN says unregulated neuro technology poses risks to those who use it

The UN is advising against neurotechnology using unregulated AI chip implantations, saying it poses a grave risk to peoples mental privacy. Unregulated neurotechnology could pose harmful long-term risks, the UN says, such as shaping the way a young person thinks or accessing private thoughts and emotions.

It specified its concerns centered around unregulated neurotechnology, and did not mention Neuralink, which received FDA approval in May to conduct microchip brain implant trials on humans.

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Elon Musk, who co-founded Neuralink, has made big claims, saying the chips will cure people of lifelong health issues, allowing the blind to see and the paralyzed to walk again. But the implications of people using unregulated forms of this technology could have disastrous consequences by accessing the thoughts of those who use it, the UN said in a press release.

Neurotechnology could help solve many health issues, but it could also access and manipulate peoples brains, and produce information about our identities, and our emotions, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said in the release. It could threaten our rights to human dignity, freedom of thought, and privacy. There is an urgent need to establish a common ethical framework at the international level, as UNESCO has done for artificial intelligence.

The UNs Agency for Science and Culture is developing a global ethical framework focused on how neurotechnology affects human rights as it quickly advances in the public sector.

The primary concern is neurotechnology will capture the reactions and basic emotions of individuals, something that would be very tempting for data-hungry corporations. The problem gets more complexwhen neural data is generated unconsciously, meaning the individual has not given their consent for that information to be gathered. If sensitive data is extracted, and then falls into the wrong hands, the individual may suffer harmful consequences, UNESCO said in its release.

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If the brain chips are implanted in children while they are still neurologically developing, it could disrupt the way their brain matures, making it possible to transform their minds and shape their future identity permanently.

According to UNESCO, one in eight people live with a mental or neurological disorder worldwide, and the World Health Organization (WHO) says it affects up to one billion people globally. Neurological disorders include epilepsy, Alzheimers disease, stroke, brain infections, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinsons Disease.

UNESCO said in a separate press release that using Neurotechnology to relay information to computers, could expose those with the implant to manipulation and reduce their privacy. It said: Without ethical guardrails, these technologies can pose serious risks, as brain information can be accessed and manipulated, threatening fundamental rights and fundamental freedoms, which are central to the notion of human identity, freedom of thought, privacy, and memory.

UNESCO did not immediately respond to Gizmodos request for comment.

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UN Warns Unregulated Neurotechnology Threatens 'Freedom of Thought' - Yahoo News