MINDSEED 2024: ENGINEERING THE BRAIN

An American woman, paralysed for almost 20 years, can now speak again through a digital avatar. Researchers have succeeded for the first time in translating brain signals directly into speech and facial expressions. This recent news report illustrates well what neurotechnology is already capable of today. During Mindseed 2024, the NeuroTech Leuven student team presented a state of the art of this rapidly evolving field.

Over 280 students, professors, researchers and alumni engineers attended the third edition of Mindseed on 18 March 2024. The event has since become the high mass of neurotechnology in Leuven. Top speakers from academia and industry painted a picture of progress and expectations.

Anthony Vorias, founder of the team and now Brain Computer Interface Developer at Mindseaker BC, kicked off the event. He explained how brain cells communicate by sending electrical signals to each other through synapses using neurotransmitters. Very recently, neurobiologists from KU Leuven discovered that brain cells exchange chemical signals in addition to electrical ones. While firing signals along synapses, they can simultaneously release small proteins called neuropeptides to reach neurons to which they are not physically connected. “Very interesting”, agrees Anthony. “But synaptic communication is much faster because of the direct electrical excitation. From a neurotechnological point of view, synaptic signal transmission offers the best prospects.”

Applications

Currently, the greatest potential of neurotechnology is in the treatment of mental disorders, movement disorders and sensory disorders. “Innumerable people could benefit from treatment for as-yet unsolved disorders like Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis as well as psychiatric disorders like bipolar diseases and phobics”, Anthony said. “Beyond medical applications, neurotechnologies still have the potential to elevate human experiences and functioning in many other ways. Neurotechnologies could enhance human learning, boost physical performances and enable efficiencies like brain-controlled devices.”

The second keynote speaker was Gaetano Leogrande, Principal R&D Engineer at Medtronic. He presented some applications that have recently entered the market. A first example is the use of deep brain stimulation (DBS). The Percept PC device is designed to captize brain signals (local field potential) using an implanted DBS lead. These signals can be recorded simultaneously while delivering therapeutic solution, inside and outside the clinic. This device proves useful in the treatment of Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, dystonia, obsessive compulsive disorder and epilepsy. A second example is the Inceptive Spiral Cord Stimulator, a closed-loop solution with sensory technology that automatically adjusts stimulation to maintain consistent therapy during all patients activities. This application delivers therapy for superior back pain relief.

Privacy

The panel discussion, moderated by Mind Innovator Magali Minet, provided interesting interventions from Tom Theys, Neurosurgeon at the University Hospitals Leuven; Lukas Stable, Business Developer Healthcare at Comate Engineering & Design and Robert Vergauwen, Emeritus Professor of KU Leuven-Institute of Philosophy. Two patients also attended: Marc Herremans, 2006 Iron Man World Champion and social entrepreneur Marcella Messa Ronaldino.

The ethical aspects of neurotechnology came up by far the most. For example, what about the right to privacy? For a long time, the human mind was seen as an impregnable bastion of privacy. That is no longer the case when technology is developed that can look inside our heads. The right to freedom of thought is also compromised when others can read or influence our brain processes. Ditto for the right to mental integrity. According to the panelists, the dangers and risks of neurotechnology should be identified in time to identify which fundamental rights and freedoms are at risk of being compromised.

Affordable

Another hotly debated topic was the accessibility of neurotechnology applications to the average patient. After all, the proposed devices and therapies are anything but cheap.

This was testified by Marc Herremans, the triathlete who became completely paralysed from chest to legs after a cycling accident, but still managed to continue his top sports career as a wheelchair patient. In his foundation 'To Walk Again', he supports disabled people in their rehabilitation and joins the search for new technologies that can reactivate the brain, nerves and muscles.

Rochelle Aubry, Chairwoman of NeuroTech Leuven and master's student in Biochemical Technology at Group T Campus, concluded the successful evening with hope. “In the future, neurotechnologies will affect everyone in society at large. They will be used in education, in workplaces, national security, in spots and customer applications like phones powered by mental control, thought-to-text writing and virtual and augmented reality devices. What seems futuristic at the moment will soon become business as usual.”

Hettie de Kruijf

www.ntxl.org