Precision Neuroscience, a competitor to Elon Musk’s Neuralink, has achieved a groundbreaking milestone by implanting 4,096 electrodes in the human brain. This accomplishment significantly surpasses last year’s record of 2,048 electrodes, effectively doubling the previous achievement.
Record-Breaking Achievement
The historic procedure took place in April at the Mount Sinai Health System in New York, as part of an ongoing clinical trial for Precision’s brain chip. This remarkable feat underscores the rapid advancements in the field of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs).
Innovative Implant Design
Precision’s implant features a thin-film microelectrode array, which contains 1,024 miniature electrodes distributed over a 1.6 square centimeter area. For this record-setting operation, four such arrays were implanted in the patient’s brain. The increased number of electrodes allows for higher data transmission to and from the brain, enhancing the chip’s capabilities.
Significance of the Achievement
“This record is a significant step towards a new era. The ability to capture cortical information of this magnitude and scale could allow us to understand the brain in a much deeper way,” stated Benjamin Rapoport, co-founder and Chief Science Officer of Precision Neuroscience. Rapoport, who previously co-founded Neuralink, left the company to establish Precision with two other Neuralink members in 2021, citing concerns over the invasiveness of Neuralink’s implants.
Safety and Innovation
Precision Neuroscience prides itself on the minimally invasive nature of its ‘Layer 7 Cortical Interface,’ which conforms to the brain’s cortex without causing tissue damage. This approach contrasts with some of the more invasive techniques employed by other companies in the field.
Comparison with Neuralink
While Neuralink remains a leading player in the brain-computer interface sector, having implanted its chip in its first patient earlier this year and preparing for subsequent operations, Precision’s achievements highlight significant progress and competition within the industry.
Ongoing Research and Collaborations
Precision Neuroscience continues to test its innovative chip through research collaborations with prestigious institutions such as West Virginia University’s Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn Medicine), and New York’s Mount Sinai Health System. These partnerships are crucial for advancing the technology and understanding its potential applications.
