AI pioneer Ray Kurzweil has joined Subsense, a company aiming to connect the brain to computers through electrically charged nanoparticles delivered via a nasal spray. The Silicon Valley-based startup is developing a non-surgical brain-computer interface as an alternative to Neuralink. The particles, which reach the brain through the olfactory nerve, are designed to settle near neurons so that neural activity can be read and stimulated by the magnetic fields of an external headset. Kurzweil, Google’s chief AI researcher since 2012, had proposed in his 2005 theory that artificial intelligence would reach human-level intelligence in 2029 and could merge with humans in 2045. Subsense has raised 27 million dollars and conducted experiments in mice; human trials are still years away. The initial targets are Parkinson’s disease and ALS. As China accelerates its BBA efforts, Neuralink has also demonstrated various use cases; more than 10 thousand people have applied for the trials.
Why it matters
The search for a non-surgical interface could take brain-computer technologies in a different direction for people who are unwilling or unable to undergo surgery. The initial targets of Parkinson’s disease and ALS indicate that the work is directly related to areas such as treating neurological diseases and supporting communication capabilities. However, the current stage is not sufficient to conclude that the method works safely and effectively in the human brain; it remains unclear when the transition from experiments in mice to human trials will take place. Alongside brain-computer interface research accelerating in China and Neuralink’s efforts to expand its use cases, Subsense’s approach indicates that non-surgical methods have also entered the competitive field in the sector.