Cognitive Tech: A Neuromodulation Engineer’s Viewpoint
The current status. The future state. The potential of humanity.
In 2009, Aimee Mullins gave the TED talk, “It’s not fair having 12 pairs of legs.” From an art sculpture to height augmentation, her prosthetic legs gave her the opportunity to redefine and enhance what the body can be.
Aimee is not alone. Over the past several decades, the conversation about physical health has included not only physical illness and deficiencies, but also has expanded into the world of physical enhancement and augmentation. Improvements in technology and a better understanding of physical health has led to developments in contacts, wearable technology, pacemakers, heart pumps, and exoskeletons. These devices are only a few examples of how humanity has made the possibility of being bionic a reality — and yet, human optimization can develop beyond the physical attributes of the body. The advancement of human cognition is beginning to enter the world stage.
As shown in the diagram below, human cognition is the brain’s ability to:
- Collect reliable data from a dynamic environment
- Evaluate and analyze the data accurately
- Integrate the results into actionable steps
- Act in the environment
- And finally, gather feedback and iterative-ly cycle again through the closed loop system
This closed loop system plays a role in developing various neural functions including motor skills, perception, attention, memory, language, emotional self-regulation, and decision making. When individuals can cycle through the steps shown in the diagram, they are able to learn, tackle their environment, and reach their desired outputs.
Currently, existing and long-established methods for tackling cognitive development and disabilities are the education and the healthcare systems. The education system nurtures critical thinking and problem solving skills using pattern recognition, as well as provides social cognition and language development through peer collaboration. The healthcare system tackles neurological issues using psychology, pharmacological drugs, and electromechanical medical devices — such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety, adderall for ADHD, spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for pain management, and deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson’s Disease. Despite dedication to cognitive development and rehabilitation, education and healthcare systems are currently ineffective in generating real-time feedback and providing personalized education and health. Additionally, in these systems, responsibility to develop cognitive skills and overcome neural disabilities lies mainly with the presence of an expert (professors, doctors, mentors) rather than with individuals.
Beyond educational and healthcare systems, social systems are also struggling to fully develop the cognitive functions of its members. Data collection does not just occur in a lab environment; it takes place in daily life. With exposure to constant streams of information from social media and the internet, individuals are overloaded with information and unable to evaluate the “noise” and quality of the data. This leaves humanity vulnerable to ineffectively analyzing information and translating it into actionable steps and decision making. The outputs of information overload are anxiety, depression, ADHD, and reduction in empathy, among others. Therefore, the opportunity in this space is to identify how to utilize technology to work in favor of human cognition and its needs, rather than against it.
With an understanding of where humanity is now, what is next in achieving cognitive enhancement?
The next steps include (1) considering cognitive needs during the development and use of technology and (2) providing closed-loop, research-backed, personalized, and accessible tools for individual use.
Several start-up companies have already emerged in an attempt to address this opportunity and to provide individuals with access to enhancing their own cognitive function. For example:
- NeuroPlus utilizes machine learning and a consumer EEG device to train the brain for improved attention and self-control. NeuroPlus targets children and adults with ADHD and recommends individuals use the video gaming and headset system 20 minutes a day/3 days.
- Akili is a prescription digital medicine company aiming to reinvent medicine. The company has completed a pivotal study to support the use of AKL-T01, a home-use, brain-training video game for ADHD patients. The company is also undergoing pilot studies for autism spectrum disorder and major depressive disorder.
Both NeuroPlus and Akili are developing technology that can provide individuals with personalized healthcare through research-supported brain exercises.
Other examples of startups in this space are:
- Halo Neuroscience (Halo Sport) is a neurostimulation device designed to increase gains in physical activity using tDCS (transcranial current stimulation) headphones. It claims to offer the opportunity to strengthen motor skills, such as running or playing music. This technology seeks to bridge physical and cognitive enhancement.
- Neosensory creates new senses for humans by translating information into vibration patterns on the body. For example, a patient that is deaf can feel sounds through the skin using Neurosensory product, Buzz. There are many opportunities in this technology to enhance the human experience through changing the way we receive information or creating new information for assessment (data collection). Even sensing infrared waves like snakes may not be out of reach.
Following in the footsteps of physical enhancement, cognitive enhancement is taking its first steps to becoming accessible for individuals to augment and reshape their minds. For me, this is an exciting possibility. However, as with any new technology, concerns around equality, safety, and regulation have surfaced, and conversations on human enhancement has invited humanity into a brave new world. To assess these concerns — accessibility, costs, diffusion of technology, and risks to users, among other items, must be considered. However, as shared in Cognitive Enhancement: Methods, Ethics, Regulatory Challenges, public policy and regulations can influence inequality and safety risks. By increasing prices, limiting access, and discouraging research and development, public policy and regulations can contribute to inequality and safety and encourage black markets in the cognitive enhancement space. Alternatively, public policy and regulations can encourage safe and accessible neurotechnology by supporting research and development, encouraging public understanding, and subsidizing access for disadvantaged groups. With considerations on equality and safety, cognitive enhancement can enable society and its members to tackle critical social problems.
Despite the current gaps and concerns around cognitive enhancement, the opportunity for a better life is far greater than the fears of the unknown in the future of neuroscience. As an engineer in the neuromodulation space, I have had the opportunity to work on spinal cord stimulation and deep brain stimulation products; I have heard from patients who have their lives back from debilitating pain and from tremors of Parkinson’s disease. As a neuroscience enthusiast, I believe we are only touching the surface of what we can achieve. Cognitive enhancement offers the opportunity to develop an informed and deeper understanding of our cognition and open up the possibilities of what humanity can be. Envision downloading specific skill sets for immediate use, similar to selecting contacts and frames at the eye doctors. Picture measuring brain plasticity on an experience by experience basis to rapidly improve learning, just as fitbit data is used minute by minute to track and adjust physical health. Imagine how much faster humanity could progress when all individuals have more power and choice in enhancing their cognitive function. As Aimee Mullins reveals in her TED talk, “It is our humanity and all the potential within it that makes us beautiful.”
Sara Khalek is a Georgia Tech Biomedical Engineering Alumna. She joined the cardiac and neuro medical device industry as a full time professional through a three-year leadership and technical development program that provides key work experience in critical business areas: manufacturing quality, development quality, and quality systems. During the technical and leadership program, Sara had the opportunity to work on spinal cord stimulation and deep brain stimulation products. Following the three year professional program, Sara joined a start up company in the San Francisco bay area to work on spinal cord stimulation neuromodulation products from quality development through manufacturing and supplier management. In her personal time, Sara works on projects related to the concept of ‘play’ — see the-play-project.com for more details.
