The launch of BCI Neurable looks to license its ‘mind reading’ technology for wearables

BCI (brain-computer interface) technology – in which neural signals are transmitted from a person’s head to a computer – was once a science fiction, but today technology represents a competitive corner of the technology industry. One of the companies rushing to sell BCI is Unablewhich this week announced plans to license its “mind-reading” technology for consumer apparel.

Neurable works in “non-invasive” BCI, which distinguishes itself from it companies such as Neuralink – a startup founded by Elon Musk known for implanting computer chips directly into people’s skulls – because its products do not require users to undergo brain surgery to enjoy its benefits.

Neurable’s technology works by integrating EEG sensors and processing signals that can monitor the activity of the user’s brain, analyze it with AI, and provide information about the person’s performance.

In December, Neurable raised $35 million in Series Awhich it plans to use to expand the commercialization of its technology. This week, the company announced that, as part of its expansion, it intends to license a variety of consumer-facing companies.

The idea is that the technology of mind reading (which can provide information about how the human brain works while performing various tasks) can be integrated into clothing in several industries – including health and athletics, manufacturing equipment, and sports. “Through Neurable’s licensing platform, OEMs can directly integrate its AI brain recognition technology into existing products, such as headphones, helmets, glasses, and headbands, while maintaining overall control over product design, user experience, and distribution,” the company said in a press release Tuesday.

Neurable has already developed partnerships with several companies to test its functionality. This includes HP Inc.’s HyperX, a gaming brand, that hosts it he made a sound it is designed to help players “enhance their gameplay by adding more interest to their performance.” It has also been associated with a company called iMotionsa software program that works on human behavior research, to help with corporate initiatives.

In an interview, the CEO of Neurable Ramses Alcaide refused to say what kind of cooperation the company has in this project, but he said that the company wants to expand its presence in many places.

“In the past, we were serious about our relationships,” Alcaide said, noting that Neurable preferred to have a specific company to ensure that a special commercial project was profitable. Now that they know expectations can be met on multiple levels, startups are focused on improving themselves, he said.

“What we’re doing here is we’re saying, ‘Hey, we’ve shown that we’re doing well’,” Alcaide said. “Like, let’s make it as ubiquitous as a heart rate monitor on your wrist, shall we?”

Although “non-intrusive”, brain data is more sensitive than data collected from a heart sensor, so what privacy protection does a company like Neurable offer?

Alcaide said the company ensures that user data is “protected and anonymous.” The company’s privacy policy provides a different instructions different about when and how user data may be accessed and used. “We make sure we comply with HIPAA standards, as we’ve gone above and beyond where most startups would have been on our platform to make sure we protect that content, encrypt it, and encrypt it,” Alcaide said.

Does Neurable leverage user experience to train its AI software? “We’ll end with the user’s permission, right?” said the Alcaide. “But we do it in a very unique way.” This specific process involves asking the user if their data can be used for specific experiments, Alcaide said. “We’re not collecting that information, we’re just teaching it intelligently,” he said. In other words, this type of data usage is straightforward.

Alcaide said his business has “reached a tipping point” – where there is “a real business model in technology that is difficult.” What comes after this point is the big question.