SAN DIEGO — Scientists have developed better devices to help people with disabilities regain function. These findings will be presented at Neuroscience 2025, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world’s largest source of emerging news about brain science and health.
Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are systems that decode brain activity and communicate it to an external device, such as a prosthetic on the body or cursor on a computer. As an emerging technology, it can help patients with paralysis or other disabilities move, communicate, and regain a measure of autonomy. The devices can range from sensors placed on the skin to surgical implants deeper in the body. But the technology hasn't always been viable for long-term use or customizable for the user.
Today’s new findings show that:
“BCIs are moving beyond proof-of-concept to become reliable medical technologies for daily life,” said Grégoire Courtine, PhD , professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne and moderator of the press conference. “The studies presented this year show that BCIs can be safe and effective over many years, while also becoming more intuitive and personalized. This progress brings us closer to a future where neurotechnologies restore communication, movement, and even touch with clinical reliability.”
For complete access to Neuroscience 2025 in-person and online, request media credentials . This research was supported by national funding agencies including the National Institutes of Health and private funding organizations.
Sunday, November 16, 2025
1:30–2:30 p.m. PST
San Diego Convention Center, Room 15A, and online for registered media
BCI Press Conference Summary
Stable high-accuracy speech and cursor decoding with a chronic intracortical brain-computer interface over two years
David Brandman, dmbrandman@health.ucdavis.edu , Abstract NANO022.02
Ten-year safety profile of intracortical microstimulation in the human somatosensory cortex
Robert Gaunt, rag53@pitt.edu , Abstract NANO022.10
Implanted magnets enable wireless muscle state sensing for neuroprosthetic control applications
Christopher Shallal, cshallal@mit.edu , Abstract PSTR457.13
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The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) is an organization of nearly 30,000 basic scientists and clinicians who study the brain and the nervous system.