Inbrain Vows to Keep Brain Implants Exclusively for Healthcare
▼ Summary
– Elon Musk’s Neuralink aims for futuristic human enhancements like “superpowers,” while Inbrain Neuroelectronics focuses solely on therapeutic applications for neurological diseases.
– Inbrain’s neural interfaces use graphene, a highly conductive and flexible material, offering potential advantages over traditional metals and polymers in brain-computer interfaces.
– Inbrain’s graphene-based implant detects faulty brain signals and delivers precise electrical pulses, targeting symptoms of conditions like Parkinson’s disease.
– Inbrain completed the first in-human trial of its graphene implant, demonstrating its ability to distinguish healthy and cancerous brain tissue with high precision.
– Inbrain has raised $100 million in funding, considers an IPO as a future option, and aims to expand its technology to treat epilepsy, dementia, and chronic pain.
While flashy visions of brain-controlled cars dominate headlines, one neurotech company remains firmly focused on medical applications. Inbrain Neuroelectronics, a Spanish startup, is developing graphene-based neural implants exclusively for treating neurological disorders—drawing a clear line against speculative human enhancement projects.
Carolina Aguilar, Inbrain’s CEO, emphasizes their commitment to therapeutic use. “We’ll never venture beyond medical applications,” she states, contrasting her company’s mission with Elon Musk’s Neuralink, which has floated ideas like memory downloads and telepathic control of devices.
Graphene, the material at the core of Inbrain’s technology, offers distinct advantages over traditional metals and polymers. Its ultra-thin, flexible structure conducts electricity efficiently while minimizing tissue damage. The company’s implant consists of microscopic graphene electrodes on a film thinner than a strand of hair, designed to monitor brain signals and deliver precise electrical stimulation when needed.
Parkinson’s disease is Inbrain’s initial target. Their system detects faulty neural patterns linked to motor dysfunction and responds with tailored stimulation. “It won’t cure the disease, but it can alleviate symptoms,” Aguilar explains. The approach relies on AI to adapt therapy to each patient’s unique brain activity.
Human trials are already underway. Last year, surgeons at the University of Manchester temporarily placed Inbrain’s device on a patient’s brain during tumor surgery, where it successfully distinguished healthy from cancerous tissue in under 80 minutes. The company plans to expand testing to 10 patients as part of the EU’s €1 billion Graphene Flagship initiative.
Future applications could extend to epilepsy, dementia, and chronic pain. A two-part implant—one layer for sensing surface activity, another for deep stimulation—may eventually help restore lost functions like speech or movement in patients with neurological damage.
Financially, Inbrain is gaining momentum. With $100 million raised so far, including a recent $50 million Series B round and a $4.5 million government grant, Aguilar hints at a potential IPO. “Going public could accelerate our impact,” she says, though she’s open to acquisition by the “right partner”—while diplomatically sidestepping whether Neuralink would qualify.
As neurotech advances, Inbrain’s medical-first philosophy sets it apart. While others chase sci-fi possibilities, the company is betting on graphene’s potential to transform treatment for some of medicine’s most challenging conditions.
(Source: The Next Web)
