BCIs: Commonplace in Next Two Decades

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) could be commonplace for patients in the next 20 years, a Sydney biomedical engineering expert has told the Engineering the Future of Biomedical Engineering podcast.

Associate Professor Mohit Shivdasani from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) said that with exciting advances continuing to accelerate, BCIs are likely to one day be a conventional treatment option of the future.

“There is no commercial brain-machine interface that a person can use outside of a laboratory setting, but we’re very close,” said Professor Shivdasani, whose work includes improving bionic eyes for restoring vision.

“As technology moves forward, chips get better and smarter, they will be incorporated into medical devices.”

Most importantly, he notes, is the need to be aware of the patients’ own goals when it comes to using devices.

“I’ve had a lot of chats with blind patients,” said Professor Shivdasani.

“When you ask them what they want from a bionic eye they’ll say: ‘I want to see my family’.”

Check out the full episode of the Engineering the Future of Biomedical Engineering podcast for further details, or check out the UNSW website for further details.