This slide is about the basic theories of Neurotechnology. It shows 1. An overview of this area - Market value, etc 2. Basic knowledge - Types of neurotechnologies - Basics of neuroscience - software engineering. 3. Use cases with neurotechnologies.

1. Basic Theories
of
Neurotechnology
Edited by Hayato Waki

2. Table of
contents
Introduction
Neurotechnology overview
01
02
Basic knowledge of
neurotechnology
Use cases
03
04

3. Introduction
01

4. Self introduction
Hayato Waki
(https://wakkihaya.com)
A senior student at University of Tsukuba.
Writer at NeurotechJP
Ex: Co-founder and engineer at startups in Japan and U.S.
https://facebook.com/waki.hayato.1 https://linkedin.com/in/wakkihaya/ https://github.com/wakkihaya

5. Neurotechnology
Overview
02

6. Market in Neurotechnology
$25b+
has been invested in
neurotech companies
450+
companies
in neurotech area
650+
investors
in neurotech area
Source: analytics.neurotech.com

7. Company Regional Distribution
Source: analytics.neurotech.com

8. Company technologies
Source: analytics.neurotech.com

9. Country-based brain projects
EU
“Human Brain Project”
(2013)
China 🇨🇳
“China Brain Project”
(2016)
U.S. 🇺🇸
“Brain Initiative”
(2013)
Japan 🇯🇵
“Brain/Minds”
(2014)

10. ‘Decade of the Brain’(U.S.),
cutting-edge research on the
human brain
Elon Musk started Neuralink
with ultra high bandwidth BMI
1990s 2017
2004
Real-time robotic arms control
using brain
(Wessberg J, Nicolelis MAL)
History of Neurotechnology

11. Basic Knowledge
of Neurotechnology
03

12. What is neurotechnology?
Neurotechnology has been defined as “the set of
methods and instruments that allow a
direct connection between technical
devices and the nervous system”
(Fuentes, Hidalgo, & Yuste, 2019).
Neurotechnology can be broken down as shown in the right
graph.
Brain-
computer
interface Cognitive
assessment
Gene
therapy
Neural
prostheses
& simulators
Neuro-
feedback
Neuro-
infomatics Neuro-
modulation
Neuro-
monitoring/
imaging
Neuro-
pharmacology
Neuro-
surgery
Mindmap of neurotechnologies

13. Neuromodulation is "changing in nervous activity through the
delivery of stimulus.”
There are several types of neuromodulatory stimuli, each of
which has different properties and uses. The stimulator is a type
of implantable neuromodulation device that is used to send
electrical signals to select areas.
Stimulation types are following:
 Deep brain stimulation
 Sacral nerve stimulation
 Spinal cord stimulation
 Vagus nerve stimulation
 Transcranial magnetic stimulation
 Pharmacological stimulation using drugs.
Neuromodulation
Invasive neuromodulation
Non-invasive neuromodulation

14. Neuroimaging is the use of various techniques to
either directly or indirectly image the structure,
function, or pharmacology of the nervous system.
Neuroimaging/monitoring
MRI scan
uses a magnetic field
and radio waves
PET scan
uses a radioactive
substance called a tracer
CT scan
uses a X-ray
Neuromonitoring is used to assess the functional
integrity of the brain, brainstem, spinal cord, or
peripheral and cranial nerves.
EEG(Electroencephalography)
measures electrical activity
generated by cortical
layers of the brain
MEG(Magnetoencephalography)
maps brain activity by
recording magnetic fields
produced by electrical currents

15. Cognitive assessment is a practice designed to help
people improve their brain and cognitive development,
social cognition, and increase vocational capabilities.
It refers to the targeted improvement and expansion of
cognitive and affective abilities based on an
understanding of their basic neurobiology in healthy
people who do not have mental illnesses.
Cognitive assessment

16. Neurofeedback is a human enhancement technique aimed at providing cognitive
improvements in psychological variables such as memory, attention, processing speed
or executive functions.
Neurofeedback works by showing patients information about their brain wave activity,
they can learn to change their brain waves. Neurofeedback therapy is used to treat
various neurological conditions such as ADHD.
Neurofeedback

17. Brain-computer interfaces (BCI) are systems that allow communication between the brain and
various machines.
They work in three main steps: collecting brain signals, interpreting them, and outputting
commands to a connected machine according to the brain signal received.
Brain-computer interfaces
Non-invasive
The sensors are placed on the scalp
to measure the electrical potentials
produced by EEG or MEG.
Semi-invasive
The electrodes are placed on the
exposed surface of the brain(ECoG).
Invasive
The micro-electrodes are placed
directly into the cortex, measuring
the activity of a single neuron.

18. Neuropharmacology is a branch of study which deals with drugs
that affect the nervous system. It is focused on the development
of compounds that may be of benefit to individuals who suffer
from neurological or psychiatric illness.
Research in the field of neuropharmacology concentrates on the
development of new drugs that can correct chemical imbalances
within the nervous system, as well as assesses their level of
safety and potency for clinical use.
Neuropharmacology

19. Gene therapy is an experimental technique that uses genes to treat or prevent disease. In the future, this
technique may allow doctors to treat a disorder by inserting a gene into a patient’s cells instead of using drugs
or surgery.
Gene therapy
Gene therapies can work by several mechanisms:
● Replacing a disease-causing gene with a healthy copy of
the gene
● Inactivating a disease-causing gene that is not
functioning properly
● Introducing a new or modified gene into the body to
help treat a disease

20. Neural prostheses are a series of devices that can
substitute a motor, sensory or cognitive modality that
might have been damaged as a result of an injury or a
disease.
Neural prosthetic devices have also been developed for
paretic patients, aimed not only at restoring but also to
rehabilitating motor function. Researchers record
signals directly from the brain and connect them to
effectors using technology referred to as a brain–
machine interface.
Neural prostheses

21. Neurosurgery or neurological surgery, known in
common parlance as brain surgery, is the medical
specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis,
surgical treatment, and rehabilitation of disorders
which affect any portion of the nervous
system including the brain, spinal cord, central and
peripheral nervous system, and cerebrovascular
system.
Neurosurgery

22. Neuroinformatics is a research field devoted to the development of
neuroscience data and knowledge bases together with computational models
and analytical tools for sharing, integration, and analysis of experimental data
and advancement of theories about the nervous system function.
Neuroinformatics

23. Neuroscience
Software
Engineering
Hardware
Engineering
Components of neurotechnology

24. Neuroscience
Neuroscience is the study of how the nervous system
develops, its structure, and what it does.
Neuroscientists focus on the brain and its impact on
behavior and cognitive functions

25. Brain structure (Cerebral lobes)
Frontal lobe
Frontal lobe is generally where higher
executive functions including emotional
regulation, planning, reasoning and
problem solving occur.
Temporal lobe
Temporal lobe contains regions
dedicated to processing sensory
information, particularly important for hearing,
recognizing language, and forming memories.
Parietal lobe
Parietal lobe are responsible for
integrating sensory information,
including touch, temperature,
pressure and pain.
Occipital lobe
Occipital lobe is the major visual
processing centre in the brain. The primary
visual cortex, also known as V1, receives
visual information from the eyes.

26. Brain structure (cont.)
Brainstem
Brainstem serves a critical role in regulating certain
involuntary actions of the body, including heartbeat
and breathing. It also provides the main motor
and sensory nerve supply to the face and
neck.
Cerebellum
Cerebellum plays an important role in motor
control. It may also be involved in some cognitive
functions such as attention and language as well as
emotional control such as regulating fear and pleasure
responses.

27. Nervous system
Central Nervous
System(CNS)
CNS consists of the brain and
spinal cord.
Peripheral Nervous
System(CNS)
PNS contains all the nerves
that lie outside of CNS.

28. Neurons
Cell Body carries genetic
information, maintains the
neuron’s structure, and
provides energy to drive
activities.
Cell Body
Dendrites receive and
process signals from the
axons of other neurons.
Dendrite
An axon is a long, tail-like
structure which joins the cell
body at a specialized junction
called the axon hillock.
Axon

29. Software Engineering
Software engineering, especially machine learning and deep
learning , are important to analyze brain waves data
and to specify what neurons are working for.

30. Types of brain waves
Delta
Sleep,
Dreaming
~ 3Hz
Theta
Drowsiness
4 ~ 6Hz
Alpha
Reflective,
Restful
7 ~ 13Hz
Beta
Busy,
Active mind
14 ~ 23Hz
Gamma
Problem solving,
Concentration
23 ~ Hz

31. How EEG BCIs can be used
Stimulus-Evoked Potentials
Evoked potentials are stereotypical EEG
responses generated by the brain when the
subject is presented with a particular type of
stimulus such as auditory, visual or
somatosensory stimulus.
Slow Cortical Potentials
SCPs are negative or positive
polarizations of EEG that last
from 300ms to several seconds.
Oscillatory Potentials and ERD
When imagine performing a
movement, mu band(8-12 Hz)
decreases, a phenomenon known
as ERD.
Movement-Related
Potentials
MRPs show a slowly increasing negative
potential beginning between 1 and 2s
prior to motor movement.
EEG BCIs
(Non-invasive)

32. Stimulus-Evoked Potentials
P300 Potential
P300 is a positive deflection in the
human event-related potential
that occurs approximately 300ms
after a stimulus.
Auditory Evoked
Potentials
AEP is a type of EEG signal
emanated from the brain scalp by
an acoustical stimulus.
Steady State Visually
Evoked Potential
SSVEP are signals that are natural
responses to visual stimulation at
specific frequencies.

33. Hardware Engineering
Hardware engineering is required in this area because it’s
important to get clean data without noise for non-
invasive BCIs, and to make subjects safe without brain
damages for invasive BCIs.

34. 10-20 system
An electrode capturing brainwave activity is called an EEG
channel. Typical EEG systems can have as few as a single channel
to as many as 256 channels. Electrode placement on the head
adheres to a formal standard called the 10/20 system.
The 10–20 system is an internationally recognized method to
describe and apply the location of scalp electrodes.

35. Use cases
04

36. As computer intelligence gets better, what will be possible when we
interface our brains with computers? It might sound scary, but early
evidence suggests otherwise: interfacing brains with machines can be
helpful in treating traumatic brain injury, repairing spinal cord damage,
and countless other applications.
Bill Maris, founder/CEO of Google Ventures

37.  Sensory restoration
 Motor restoration
 Communication
 Brain-controlled wheelchairs
 Web browsing and navigating virtual worlds
 Education and Learning
 Security and Authentication
 Gaming and Entertainment
 Art
 Meditation/ Focus/ Sleep
Medical
Applications
Nonmedical
Applications
Applications of BCIs

38. Sensory restoration
An example of a BCI for
sensory restoration is the
cochlear implant for the deaf.
Medical Applications
Motor restoration
BCIs for motor restoration are
prosthetic devices for amputees
and paralyzed individuals.
Communication
For patients who are unable to
even blink, a BCI can be used
for controlling a cursor in a
menu system or a keyboard.
Brain-Controlled Wheelchairs
A wheelchair using brain
waves can be controlled by
selecting high-level
commands(e.g., go to kitchen).

39. Nonmedical Applications
Imaginary-based BCI for
navigating Google Earth
BCI for choosing one of the commands, “scroll”,
“select”, and “back”.
BCI as an assistive device to
improve students’ concentration
and performance
Measuring the user’s level of attention during
an exercise with Neurosky devices.
BCIs applied to problems in
security such as biometric
identification and authentication
The distinctive alpha rhythm activity from EEG signal is
proposed as a biometric signature for identification.
BCIs for gaming and
entertainment
EEG BCI for the game of Tetris.
Brain-Controlled Art
“The Ascent”: a person is tethered to an EEG and a
harness and must maintain concentration in order
to be lifted into the air.
Meditation based on brain
waves
BCIs such as ”Muse” measure EEG and analyze if
the brain is calm or active.

40. Challenges
Ethics
It is especially the use of brain science outside the
health care system that gives rise to ethical concerns.
Neurotech applications for nonmedical purposes are
sometimes undesirable because of privacy problems.
Noise for data collection
Unwanted signals contained in the main signal can
be termed noise, artifacts, or interference. In EEG-
based BCI applications, noise sources are the
greatest challenge.
Neuroscience
It’s hard to understand where output goes from sensory
input in cognitive level and where input comes from
for motor output, and to define relations between
input and output for higher functions(e.g., memory)
because of unpredictable multiple bypass routes.
User experiences
While neurotechnology has enormous potential to
enhance human-computer interaction, acceptance
depends largely on which adaptive strategies are deployed
and users' perceptions of their utility and effectiveness.