Brain-machine interface: the potential of cutting-edge neuroscience to control machines with thought

In the future, the brain will be connected to AI!? This science fiction fantasy technology, "Brain Machine Interface (BMI)," is actually being researched in various countries around the world, and several companies in Japan are also conducting research and development. What are the methods of BMI and what will it bring?

Have you heard of the technology called "Brain Machine Interface," commonly known as BMI? BMI is a general term for the entity that connects the "brain," which is the signal source and the object of operation, with the "machine," such as an EEG sensor that reads brainwaves and a program that analyzes brainwaves. In simple terms, it is a technology that connects the brain and machines.

For example, it supports the foundation of technology that moves a robot arm just by thinking, and is considered to be a part of BrainTech in a broad sense. Although it is a science fiction fantasy technology, research on man-machine interfaces such as BMI began around the 1970s, so the idea itself seems to have existed for a surprisingly long time.

▶︎ "Brain Machine Interface" aims to be a technology that allows even severely disabled people to move a robot arm just by thinking, and to naturally carry out daily life.

It is said that external devices were not actually implanted into the human body until the mid-1990s. In the 21st century, there was an increase in cases of implanting BMI devices into humans, such as artificial sensory devices that assist vision and hearing, and prosthetic arms and legs that operate by motors, although their functions are insufficient.

BMI is also being researched and developed in countries around the world. For example, in the United States in 2013, the "Brain Initiative," a huge project to promote neuroscience, was announced during the Obama administration, and major companies and startups, mainly in Silicon Valley, entered the market one after another.

In fact, major company Microsoft has obtained a patent for technology that allows apps to be operated by thinking with the brain. In addition, Neuralink, founded by Tesla founder Elon Musk, has begun clinical trials of a service that allows electronic devices to be operated by thinking with the brain.

In Israel, Israel Brain Technologies (IBT) was established during the presidency of Shimon Peres, and many brain tech projects are still ongoing. IBT holds conferences every two years, attracting many startups, investors, and government officials from all over the world.

IBT also actively engages in activities to provide funding for businesses that utilize brain tech and supports startups, and with the support of IBT, more than 100 startups in Israel are working on projects.

In the EU, a project called the "Human Brain Project" is underway to understand the mechanisms of the brain, with a budget of about 1 billion euros over a 10-year period from 2013, and the project focuses on elucidating the full extent of the brain and simulating it.

In China, a 15-year nationally funded research project called the "China Brain Project" has been underway since 2016, and in South Korea, a project called the "Korea Brain Initiative" was launched in 2016 as a research project in the field of brain science.

It is expected that more and more companies will enter the market in the future, and it would not be surprising if government-led projects were to be launched as well.

BMI is being developed and researched in various countries around the world, and Japan is not an exception. In Japan, unlike other countries, the government is not taking the lead in promoting projects, so many companies working on it are entering the market by themself.

For example, Mediaseek Co., Ltd., which mainly provides system development and information technology consulting in Japan, is researching and developing therapeutic apps that use a technology called "neurofeedback" to improve the brain's condition, and developing the smartphone app "ALPHA SWITCH PRO" that helps improve working memory.

Working memory is the ability to temporarily store, process, and use information, and is an essential ability for everyday life.

Cyber ​​Yoga Research Institute Co., Ltd., a venture company spun out of the University of Tsukuba that operates the yoga studio "Cyber ​​Yoga Studio," which incorporates the latest technology into yoga, visualizes one's own brain activity, autonomic nervous system state, and stress, and uses this information to train self-control by applying yoga techniques.

By training a "winning brain" through the process of "❶Analyze, ❷Strengthen, ❸Adapt," the company is focusing on mental control to achieve high performance.

Neumo Co., Ltd. is a company that develops products based on neuroscience to improve and measure pitch, with the philosophy of "contributing to the survival of humanity 1,000 years from now." The company is developing its own technology with support from Stanford University and UCLA.

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. is conducting research and development of BMI as part of its basic research for the future. As one of Japan's leading automobile companies, the company is working on research into driving support technology using brainwave measurement. This technology measures and analyzes the brainwaves of drivers by wearing a headset, and can be applied to autonomous driving.

In addition, Shiseido Co., Ltd., a leading Japanese cosmetics manufacturer, is elucidating changes in feelings toward cosmetics through brain science research, and Shionogi & Co., Ltd. is also working on medical device development aimed at restoring the motor functions of severe stroke patients with LIFESCAPES, a company with strengths in BMI technology.

Toppan Printing is currently working with NeU, a brain science company, on a research project to apply objective and quantitative perspectives to creative production in the field of neurodesign, a scientific creative development method based on human biosignals and brain activity measurements.

As such, various companies in Japan are already conducting research and development in the fields of brain tech and BMI. It is said that the brain tech market size will reach 5 trillion yen in a few years, and it is expected that more and more companies will enter the market in the future. It would not be surprising if government-led projects were to be launched, as in other countries.

So far, we have introduced domestic and international efforts and trends related to BMI, but are there any problems if BMI is actually put into practical use?

Concerns about the introduction of BMI are being discussed, such as ethical concerns, such as the risk of manipulation or brainwashing through brain hacking, the risk of changing an individual's identity, preferences, and way of thinking through stimulation and intervention in the brain, and the risk of brain tapping and thought reading.

At this stage, this may sound fantastical, but when BMI is put to practical use and becomes commonplace in society, these concerns will naturally become real issues. It is important to note that BMI technology is being developed and researched with these ethical issues in mind.

"ALPHA SWITCH PRO" helps improve working memory

"ALPHA SWITCH PRO", which is being developed and researched by MediaSeek Inc., is a service that aims to improve various abilities by connecting the portable electroencephalograph Muse2 to the dedicated app "ALPHA SWITCH PRO" and conducting brainwave-based training.

By training alpha waves, a type of brainwave, the service offers programs designed to improve short-term memory and increase concentration.

"Driving assistance technology based on brainwave measurement" that measures and analyzes brainwaves and applies them to autonomous driving

Since 2018, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. has been developing and researching driving assistance technology (Brain-to-Vehicle, B2V) that uses brainwave measurement.

This involves measuring brainwaves to determine the timing of the driver's next operation and any discomfort the driver may have. In the future, the company hopes that the system will analyze and judge brainwaves measured by the driver wearing a headset, and apply this to autonomous driving.

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