Research on modern BCIs began at UC where the term was coined, with early developments including Hans Berger's discovery of EEG signals in humans and Wilder Penfield and Herbert Jasper's work on ECoG in animals. Over the following decades, important milestones included monkeys controlling computers, the first human BCI implant in a paralyzed patient, commercialization of BCI products, and demonstrations of non-invasive BCIs allowing control of robotics. Recent years have seen continued progress toward more precise and invasive interfaces as well as two-way brain-computer communication.

1. Research on modern day BCI
technology begins at the
University of California & the
term brain-computer interface is
coined.
Wilder Penfield & Herbert
Jasper develops a
component of the semi-
invasive BCI, the ECoG
Hans Berger’s discovers
electrical signals in the
human brain & develops a
component of the non-
invasive BCI, the EEG.
Richard Canton’s
discovery of electrical
signals in the brains of
non-human animals.
Johann Poggendorff
invented the Mirror
Galvanometer.
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2. Monkeys are trained to
control a computer cursor
Philip Kennedy implanted
the first BCI into the brain of
a paralyzed patient.
Dr. Richard Norman
develops the
component for an
invasive BCI, the Utah
electrode array.
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2002
Cyberkinetics was founded
and NeuroPort a more
precise BCI product was
commercialized for
clinicians.
Neural Signals was
founded by neurologist
Philip r. Kennedy
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3. Emotiv is founded to
further understanding
the human brain using
electroencephalograph
y (EEG).
A nerve-tapping neckband
for voiceless phone calls is
displayed at aTi Dev
Conference
Neural Systems
Laboratory
demonstrates the first
non-invasive brain-
controlled humanoid
A monkey controls a
robotic arm
Cyberkinetics
implanted their first BCI
into a human patient,
Matthew Nagle.
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2008200620052004

4. DARPA launches a
system to enable two-
way brain-computer
communication.
Neuralink & Kernel is
founded.
Direct brain-to-brain
communication
achieved by
transmitting EEG
signals over the
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Neuralink to begin
human testing.
IMEC develops a
brain probe that
increases the
details obtained from
micro circuits of the
brain's cortex.
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2015
BrainCo is founded
to develop brain-machine
interface (BMI)
technology products
including
sensors, hardware,
software, and AI
2014