Massachusetts Patent of the Month – April 2022
Brain-computer interfaces (BCI) are communication systems that permit brain activity alone to control computers. The most well known example includes spellers which permit a user to spell using only eye movements. The letters are present on the screen, the user focuses their attention on the screen and concentrates on the next letter to be written while the neural response of the brain is monitored for signature signals. Once these signals are detected, the system identifies the desired symbol and the next letter can be focused on. These devices allow a healthy person to spell at the rate of 2 characters per minute.
Neurable, Inc. is focused on improving neurotechnology to make translating brain activity into actionable insights with ease. As this technology advances, interactions with computers using BCIs will become more intuitive and natural. Soon enough we’ll all be interacting with technology like Tony Stark.
Neurable’s BCI uses high speed eye tracking to achieve real time eye-movement tracking. The video based eye-tracker tracks the user’s pupil and a first-surface corneal reflection of a light. The positional difference between these two features is used to determine the eye-in-head orientation. A neural recording headset is used to track brain activity. The user wears both the eye tracker and the headset. The system utilizes machine learning algorithms to calibrate the user’s eye movement and brain activity. As it pulls in data, feedback signals are further used to train the system, preventing repeat errors in the future.
Neurable is set on making neurotechnology widely accessible with their everyday BCI technology.
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