Bridging Minds and Machines
Summary
- The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) focus area research retreat brought together leading scientists, clinicians, engineers and trainees to advance the future of neurotechnology.
- Brain-computer interface science is an interdisciplinary field that connects neuroscience, engineering and clinical medicine to create direct communication pathways between the brain and external devices.
- Research attendees discussed advances in technology, positive patient outcomes and the ethics of brain-computer interface work as the field evolves.
The purpose of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) focus area research retreat was ambitious: bringing together leading scientists, clinicians, engineers and trainees to advance the future of neurotechnology.
The retreat, organized by W. Dalton Dietrich, Ph.D., professor of neurological surgery at the Miller School and scientific director of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, and Matija Milosevic, Ph.D., assistant professor of neurological surgery at the Miller School, aspired to foster collaboration between the vast talents of the engineering and neuroscience programs at UM, accelerate translational research and train the next generation of innovators in brain-computer interface science.
Building a Collaborative Future
Brain-computer interface science is an interdisciplinary field that connects neuroscience, engineering and clinical medicine to create direct communication pathways between the brain and external devices. These systems decode neural signals and translate them into commands that can control computers, prosthetics or stimulation technologies.
The retreat was conceived as a catalyst for interdisciplinary teamwork across the Miller School and UM campuses, said Dr. Dietrich. The fruits of such a collaboration are evident in the Institute for Neural Engineering that Dr. Dietrich co-directs with Suhrud Rajguru, Ph.D., a professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Miami.
“We’re recruiting some of the best scientists in the world to come to Miami and help us develop these multidisciplinary programs to diagnose and treat brain disorders and spinal cord injuries,” said Dr. Rajguru. “But more importantly, the goal is to recruit and train the next generation of scientists that become neuro-engineers.”
Implantable BCIs for Movement Restoration
Speakers: Abhishek Prasad, Ph.D., and Jonathan Jagid, M.D.
Dr. Prasad, a UM associate professor of biomedical engineering, and Dr. Jagid, a professor of neurological surgery at the Miller School, opened the retreat with a discussion of implantable BCIs for spinal cord injury (SCI). Their research focused on untethered, wireless BCI systems that could be used outside the lab. Already, they’ve demonstrated long-term reliability and user-centered design, with stable signal quality even years after implantation.
“We want patients to be as free as possible. Our goal was to transition this to the home setting,” Dr. Prasad explained, and underscored the ultimate goal of his work isn’t just cool science. “The most important thing is we need to think about the patients. What can we do for patients to achieve maximum function?”
Therapeutic BCI Neuromodulation for Neuromotor Recovery
Speakers: Dr. Milosevic and Joacir Graciolli, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Milosevic and Dr. Graciolli, an assistant professor of neurological surgery at the Miller School, presented on brain-controlled spinal cord stimulation for neuromotor recovery after spinal cord injury. Their approach combined BCIs with closed-loop stimulation to drive neuroplasticity and voluntary function.
“Our hypothesis is that if we close the loop and integrate movement intentions with stimulation, we can drive synaptic plasticity through Hebbian learning,” said Dr. Milosevic, referring to how synaptic connections strengthen based on repeated activation of neurons.
“We’re trying to bridge the brain with the spinal cord, bypassing the injury,” Dr. Graciolli added.
Their clinical case studies showed meaningful improvements in hand function and walking, even in participants with chronic spinal cord injuries.
Advances in MagnetoElectric NanoParticle BCI Technology
Speaker: Sakhrat Khizroev, Ph.D.
Dr. Khizroev, a UM professor of electrical and computer engineering and professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the Miller School, introduced magnetoelectric nanoparticles (MENPs), a novel, wireless technology for neural stimulation and recording.
His team’s work demonstrated precise, non-invasive control of neural activity using MENPs, with potential applications ranging from movement restoration to vision.
“If you can control electric fields locally, you control biology,” Dr. Khizroev said. “You can control excitement and inhibition. You can select cells you want to excite. It’s all extremely fundamental. It’s more fundamental than the biology itself.”
During his presentation, Dr. Khizroev showed a video visually demonstrating how MENPs catalyze brain activity.
“The beauty of these particles is that you can literally record neural activity,” Dr. Khizroev said. “By integrating particles with magnetic particle imaging, we can see how signals become much more functional.”
The Neuralink Trial in Miami
Speaker: Seth Tigchelaar, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Tigchelaar, a neurological surgery resident at the Miller School, shared updates on Neuralink’s PRIME (Precise Robotically Implanted Brain-Computer Interface) study, an investigational medical device clinical trial for assessing the safety and functionality of the company’s intracortical brain-computer interface implant that establishes a wireless, digital link between the brain and computers.
Dr. Tigchelaar focused on size and precision when describing the advantages of the Neuralink system. Smaller than a human hair, the Neuralink threads operate wirelessly and, once implanted, “patients can go about their lives and use it on their own.”
Neuralink also uses an AI-guided surgical robot that ensures the device placement doesn’t interfere with brain structure or function. The company even created hats and pillows that participants can use to charge the device’s batteries.
“It’s really changed these participants’ lives. Their families have told us that they see purpose in their lives for the first time,” Dr. Tigchelaar shared.
The Clinical Trial Participant Perspective
Three people who have participated in The Miami Project research studies offered firsthand insight into their motivation to enroll and their experiences as study participants. Their perspectives underscored a defining feature of brain-computer interface research programs. Participants are not passive subjects. They’re true partners who help shape the questions researchers pose and the direction of clinical translation efforts. It’s a community based on mutual partnership.
“I tell people that I don’t feel they are a research team anymore,” said one study participant, via a video feed played at the retreat. “They’re my friends.”
Each participant found the time they devoted to clinical studies worthwhile, with one recounting an improved ability to walk and another pleased with the independence BCI-prompted stimulation granted.
“With the stimulation, I could move objects with my own hand and fingers,” he said, “and the BCI let me do that on my own.”
One of the most thought-provoking segments of the retreat was the panel discussion on neuroethics, artificial intelligence and the societal implications of brain-computer interfaces. As BCI technology moves rapidly from laboratory prototypes to real-world clinical applications, the University of Miami’s researchers are keenly aware of the ethical terrain they must navigate.
A panel featuring experts such as Odelia Schwartz, Ph.D., UM associate professor of computer science, James Guest, M.D., Ph.D., professor of neurosurgery at the Miller School, Brian Noga, Ph.D., professor of neurosurgery at the Miller School, Yingchun Zhang, Ph.D., a UM professor of biomedical engineering, and Dr. Prasad, addressed the complexities of informed consent in BCI trials. Dr. Guest discussed the nature of the data BCI studies produce. Is it protected health information?
“How long and how thoroughly do we protect that?” Dr. Guest asked, highlighting the need for firm boundaries in a field of study that is still evolving. “I think we really need to develop structures to think about how we’re going to protect that information.”
Neuroethics in Pediatric and Vulnerable Populations
The discussion also touched on the unique ethical challenges of BCI research in children and vulnerable groups.
“The ethics of treating children are really different than the ethics of treating adults,” Dr. Dietrich noted. “One of the things that would probably be important is to have very strong proof-of-principle demonstrations in adults before intervening in children.”
But that caution, while warranted, has to be balanced with the potential benefits offered by rapidly advancing technology for young patients who still have all of their lives ahead of them.
Autonomy, Identity and AI
As BCIs become more sophisticated, questions of autonomy and identity arise. The panel explored scenarios where BCIs could potentially decode thoughts or intentions, raising concerns about mental privacy and the boundaries of self.
The integration of AI and machine learning into BCI systems introduces further ethical considerations.
“Machine learning and deep learning have been used for brain decoding,” Dr. Schwarz said, “but we need to ensure ethical training and use of the models.”
The panel discussed the risks of algorithmic bias, the need for transparency in model development and the importance of ongoing oversight as AI-driven BCIs become more autonomous.
The ethical discussions at the retreat underscored the University of Miami’s commitment to responsible innovation. As BCI research accelerates, the community is not only advancing science but also shaping the ethical frameworks that will guide the integration of these transformative technologies into society.
Tags: brain injury, brain-computer interface, Dr. Brian Noga, Dr. James Guest, Dr. Joacir Graciolli, Dr. Jonathan Jagid, Dr. Matija Milosevic, Dr. W. Dalton Dietrich III, Institute for Neural Engineering, Neuralink, neuromodulation, spinal cord injuries, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, traumatic brain injury