Precision Neuroscience, a company co-founded by Michael Mager and Benjamin Rapoport, has developed the Layer 7 Cortical Interface. This brain implant, termed the “seventh layer” for the human cerebral hemispheres, is intended to supplement the brain’s six biological layers and allow paralyzed people to manage digital equipment using just neural impulses or the power of thought.
The Layer 7 Cortical Interface is easier to implant than previous comparable devices like the prototype device from Neuralink. The device resembles a piece of tape and is made up of electrodes that are thinner than human hair, allowing it to be placed on the surface of the brain without causing any tissue damage.
To implant, the device, a very thin incision in the skull is made into which the device is inserted, much like a letter into a mailbox slot. According to Mager, the incision gap is less than a millimetre thick, eliminating the need to shave the patient’s head for the procedure.
The Layer 7 Cortical Interface can potentially transform the lives of individuals suffering from severe degenerative diseases such as ALS, where they lose the capacity to execute any controlled movement. They can communicate with loved ones again using this technology by moving the cursor and typing with their minds. Furthermore, the number of electrodes in the array may be expanded, allowing the device to be used for neurological illnesses in the future. Furthermore, if the patient decides that they no longer require it, the implant can be removed, or it can be replaced with a newer version in the future if required.
Precision has already used Layer 7 to effectively decode neurological impulses in animals, and Mager intends to obtain FDA clearance to test the technique in humans in the coming months. This technology is less dangerous for the patient due to the company’s less traumatic surgical processes and simplicity of implantation. However, because the device is not implanted directly into brain tissue, the intensity of the transmitted brain impulses may be lower than with other implants.
The Layer 7 Cortical Interface is a potential new development in Precision Neuroscience that offers hope to people suffering from paralysis and other chronic conditions. The ability to operate digital equipment solely via the power of thought can substantially enhance these people’s quality of life and allow them to communicate and engage with the world in ways previously considered impossible.
