What You Should Know:
Blackrock Neurotech, a provider of Brain Computer Interface (BCI) technology, has acquired the spatial computing software house, MindX. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed.
– MindX’s spatial computing technology is used to recognize and interpret the movement of objects in physical space, and in combination with Blackrock’s BCI technology, will unlock additional levels of interaction between patients and their physical environments.
Delivering Full-Stack Brain-Computer Interface Products
The acquisition bolsters Blackrock’s existing software portfolio and positions the Company to deliver full-stack, integrated BCI products with innovative capabilities. The move comes on the heels of Blackrock’s exclusive neural decoder licensing deals with Stanford University and Columbia University.
At the forefront of neurotechnology, implantable BCIs are currently being used to restore function in people with paralysis and neurological disorders. Blackrock Neurotech has long been the industry leader in BCI hardware and is responsible for the technology used by 31 of the 35 global human patients, with the longest chronic implant still active and lasting more than seven years. These implants have been shown to restore movement, communication, and touch, leading to increased independence and quality of life for these patients.
Central to the clinical application of BCIs is the development of user-friendly software that decodes neural activity and translates brain signals into digital commands. With a focus on real-world applications, MindX’s proprietary spatial neurocomputing technology is used to recognize and interpret the movement of objects in physical space, and in combination with decoded biological data, could unlock more meaningful levels of interaction between patients, their physical environments, and the digital world. This cutting-edge, integrated BCI platform aims to offer patients hope for increased quality of life, independence, and autonomy and deliver on the long-term promise of BCI.
Post-Acquisition Plans
As part of the acquisition, Julia Brown, MindX founder and CEO, and her team will join Blackrock. Julia brings an extensive background in intelligent system design, neurotechnology, and the development of personalized medicine and digital health solutions, as well as her startup experience, which includes launching a series of successful health-tech ventures spun out of Johns Hopkins University.
“MindX is home to fantastic engineers who are developing groundbreaking, cutting-edge software at the intersection of neurotechnology, AR and AI, and we are particularly pleased to partner in a deeper way with Julia Brown, who has been an insightful innovator and leader in this space,” said Marcus Gerhardt, Blackrock co-founder and CEO. “By fusing our hardware DNA with their software DNA, we enhance our neural data analysis and enable flexibility and customization for a variety of BCI applications. Furthermore, the opportunity to broaden applications through spatial software and AR exponentially advances our commercialization aims.”
Blackrock, which anticipates releasing the first commercial BCI platform, MoveAgain, in early 2023, views the acquisition as a key step in the development of its patient-facing software, the expansion of its technology platform, and the seeding of a core capability in AI. While the initial aim is to help paralyzed patients interact with devices like keyboards, other applications such as restoring vision through human optical prostheses are also being explored. The acquisition is further expected to accelerate existing studies in speech restoration for aphasia patients.
