MiBM (mind-reading chip)

2024: Product Announcement

In late August 2024, researchers at EPFL unveiled a next-generation miniature chip interface capable of converting thoughts into text. The new MiBMI technology, which is already implanted, not only increases the efficiency and scalability of brain-machine interfaces, but also paves the way for the development of practical, fully implantable devices that can significantly improve the quality of life of patients with diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and spinal cord injuries, the developers say.

The small size and low power consumption of MiBMI are key characteristics that determine the suitability of the chip for implantation. The newest model of this type was developed at the Integrated Neurotechnological Laboratory (INL) of the IEM and Neuro X EPFL institutes. The developers explained that the new MiBMI is a fully integrable system, that is, data recording and processing are carried out on two extremely small chips with a total area of ​ ​ 8 square meters. mm.

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EPFL

To convert brain signals into text, a person needs to imagine writing letters or words. The electrodes implanted in the brain record neural activity associated with motor activity, and the MiBMI chipset processes these signals in real time, translating the brain's suspected hand movements into appropriate digital text. According to the researchers, the chip converts handwritten text into text with an accuracy of 91%. It is known that the chip is already capable of decoding up to 100 characters in a row, but a set of handwriting data with a large number of characters is not yet available.

We intend to test this system under various conditions, for example, to decode speech. Our goal is to develop a universal mechanism that can be adapted to different neurological disorders, the researchers note.[1]

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