The Polymath intiative published Neurotechnology: the new frontiers for international governance

Neurotechnology can be defined as a field of science and engineering that seeks to connect technical components to a nervous system. In so doing, neurotechnologies allow us to either record signals from the brain – for diagnosing mental diseases – or to translate them into technical commands (to for example operate a robotic prosthesis or control software), or to modify brain activity by stimulating targeted parts of the brain.

A key advance in neurotechnology are Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs), i.e. systems that allow a bi-directional interaction between the brain and machines. Neurotechnologies such as BCIs have significant medical applications, and can enable some paralysed patients to regain a degree of autonomy by controlling prosthetic arms or by using a computer, with just the power of their mind. Furthermore, research into neurotechnologies can contribute to unlocking some of the major mysteries of the brain and pave a way to curing neurological disorders.

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