DARPA launches Nonsurgical Neural Interface project

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) recently announced a new program that aims to develop high-resolution neural interfaces for use by able-bodied service members.

DARPA has been involved in research and development of in-brain communication systems that use invasive techniques to enable connections to specific neurons. These systems have been used in patients with brain injury and other illnesses. The new Next-Generation Nonsurgical Neurotechnology (N3) seeks to develop non-invasive brain system technology.

“DARPA created N3 to pursue a path to a safe, portable neural interface system capable of reading from and writing to multiple points in the brain at once,” Dr. Al Emondi, program manager in DARPA’s Biological Technologies Office (BTO), said. “High-resolution, nonsurgical neurotechnology has been elusive, but thanks to recent advances in biomedical engineering, neuroscience, synthetic biology, and nanotechnology, we now believe the goal is attainable.”

The four-year project will first seek to overcome physics, crosstalk, and low signal-to-noise ratio challenges. Then, it will aim to develop algorithms for decoding and encoding neural signals. It will then evaluate the safety and efficacy of the system in animal models and then human volunteers.

The effort will conclude with a demonstration of a bidirectional system used in a defense-relevant task such as human-machine interactions with unmanned aerial vehicles, active cyber defense system, or other properly instrumented Department of Defense systems.

If successful, these technologies may be used in these and other areas that involve human-machine interaction.

“Smart systems will significantly impact how our troops operate in the future, and now is the time to be thinking about what human-machine teaming will actually look like and how it might be accomplished,” Emondi said. “If we put the best scientists on this problem, we will disrupt current neural interface approaches and open the door to practical, high-performance interfaces.”