Neurotechnology encompasses a growing range of technologies that record and modulate the activity of the human nervous system. 

Context

Historically, neurotechnology has focused on medical and research applications but uses in commercial products are now being explored, for example in sport and wellness. 

Technology 

The technology is improving with better sensors, smaller and less invasive designs, and through the use of cutting-edge artificial intelligence. Several small-scale but exciting demonstrations of neurotechnology are driving interest, from helping people walk and communicate again after injury, to playing computer games with your brain. However, taking neurotechnology from the laboratory to clinical or commercial use remains slow and difficult.  

Future thinking 

The future of neurotechnology development, and use in medical and non-medical settings, is highly uncertain. Although there is clear potential to help us understand and treat a wider range of illnesses, there are risks and challenges from expanding this technology into commercial products. For example, privacy and data protection. 

UK position 

The UK has a competitive neuroscience research and innovation sector and strengths in key areas such artificial intelligence. However, the USA are clear leaders in the field. 

Figure 1: ‘1 in 6 people in the UK are living with a neurological condition’

• 1 in 6 people in the UK are living with a neurological condition
• 2nd globally for research quality by Field Citation Ratio (FCR), just behind Australia.
• 4th globally in R&D and overall volume of neurotech publications

^{Source: Dimensions.}

The image above shows a line drawing of a brain accompanied by the text ‘1 in 6 people in the UK are living with a neurological condition’. To the right of the brain and text is a line drawing of a map of the UK. The map is accompanied by two statistics. The first one states that the UK is 2nd globally for research quality by Field Citation Ratio (FCR), just behind Australia. Source: Dimensions. The second statistic states that the UK is 4th globally in R&D and overall volume of neurotech publications.

Figure 2: Application map

Application map: now

Medical

Novel or repurposed neurotech for a wider range of medical conditions.

Wellbeing, sport and fitness

Commercial devices recording neurodata.

Application map: soon

Medical

Novel or repurposed neurotech for a wider range of medical conditions.

Wellbeing, sport and fitness

Commercial devices recording neurodata.

Health and safety

Monitoring fatigue.

Marketing

Market research, personalised marketing.

Wellbeing, sport and fitness

Devices able to modulate brain activity in response to recorded data.

Gaming

Monitoring performance and novel in-game capabilities.

Workplaces

Productivity, recruitment and training.
Novel human machine interactions, e.g. integration with Augmented Reality(AR)/ Virtual Reality (VR) or robotic technologies.

Application map: future

Medical

Novel or repurposed neurotech for a wider range of medical conditions.

Wellbeing, sport and fitness

Commercial devices recording neurodata.

Health and safety

Monitoring fatigue.

Marketing

Market research, personalised marketing.

Wellbeing, sport and fitness

Devices able to modulate brain activity in response to recorded data.

Gaming

Monitoring performance and novel in-game capabilities.

Workplaces

Productivity, recruitment and training.
Novel human machine interactions, e.g. integration with Augmented Reality(AR)/ Virtual Reality (VR) or robotic technologies.

Personal comms

Brain to brain communication.

Education

Monitoring attention and performance.

^{Return to Figure 2: Application map.}

Projecting future development and adoption timelines is highly uncertain. We have considered a range of sources and expert input to assess which applications may see widespread adoption now, soon, and further into the future.   

Some sectors listed already have examples of neurotechnology in use now, but these are often isolated or with poor supporting evidence. 

Technology overview 

Neurotechnology can broadly be considered either: 

• Brain Computer Interfaces (BCI), devices that interact with the brain. Also known as brain machine interfaces.  

• Bioelectronic devices that interact with the spinal cord and peripheral nerves.  

Within each, technologies can either:   

• Record and/or modulate activity (i.e. enhancing or inhibiting neural activity, referred to as neuromodulation).  

• Be implanted (to different degrees of invasiveness) or wearable.  

• Be controlled by a closed-loop (device activity is controlled and adapted in relation to signals recorded, can be autonomous) or an open-loop (activity pre-set in a fixed pattern). 

Opportunities 

• Tackling unmet medical needs. Using new technologies and broadening the application of existing neurotechnology to more conditions. 

• Economic opportunities in non-medical market niches for neurotechnology such as gaming, health and safety, and sport. 

• Leveraging UK strengths to foster neurotechnology development. Advancing neuroscience through use and development of neurotechnology could open further opportunities.  

Challenges 

• Interpreting signals from the brain is incredibly complex and understanding is limited. Producing reliable, effective devices with minimal programming or surgery   is a challenge to adoption, alongside cost-effectiveness and scaling manufacturing.  

• Progression of neurotechnology from research to clinical or commercial use remains slow. 

• Privacy and discrimination. Recording and use of brain data raises questions of privacy, for data protection, and could enable new forms of discrimination. Experts highlighted the importance of good cybersecurity. 

• Abandonment of individuals with implanted devices if a manufacturer withdraws support or ceases trading could have significant impact on users. 

Please share your views. Email us at emtech@go-science.gov.uk.