The International School “Neurointerfaces of the New Generation” was held in Moscow at the Higher School of Economics, bringing together leading experts in neurotechnology. Participants discussed the latest breakthroughs and the future of this rapidly evolving field.

Rehabilitation of the Future: When Thought Becomes Movement

One of the core applications of neurointerfaces remains medical rehabilitation. As Galina Ivanova, Chief Freelance Specialist of the Russian Ministry of Health for rehabilitation, emphasized:

“Technology is only a tool. The success of treatment depends 90% on the patient’s motivation. When a person clearly sees their goal — to pick up a cup, hug a loved one, return to work — neurointerfaces can truly work wonders.”

Roman Lyukmanov, head of the Neurointerface Group at the Russian Neurology Center, demonstrated striking progress:

“Our studies show that combining neurointerfaces with traditional rehabilitation accelerates recovery by two to three times. But there’s a challenge — about 80% of patients drop out when progress slows. Only the most determined continue and achieve full recovery.”

Technological Challenges: From Lab to Patient

The technical limitations of today’s neurointerfaces sparked heated debate. Dmitry Prilutsky, Director of Medical Computer Systems LLC, noted:

“Dry electrodes exist, but they’re still unreliable. Signal quality depends on humidity, casing pressure, even the climate. We need standardized solutions and automatic electrode placement systems.”

Natalia Galkina, CEO of JSC Neurotrend, added:

“Despite rapid development, gel electrodes remain the most reliable, ensuring full contact with the patient’s skin.”

She explained that alternatives like solid gel electrodes or neoprene-cap air sensors don’t fully solve the problems of convenience and accuracy. Addressing these issues requires close collaboration between engineers and industrial designers to create ergonomic, aesthetically appealing neurodevices.

Galkina also stressed the difference in requirements between medical devices for patients and consumer gadgets for healthy users. The latter, she said, must be compact and user-friendly — for example, in the format of a smartwatch. She raised concerns about the growing number of low-quality EEG devices on the market that fail to deliver accurate measurements, warning that they risk discrediting the very idea of neurointerfaces. These challenges highlight the urgent need for stricter standardization and certification.

Personalized Medicine: Treatment by Neural “Fingerprint”

Researchers also presented advances in adaptive neural interfaces. Alexander Panov, Director of the AIRI Laboratory of Cognitive Systems and Artificial Intelligence, explained:

“We build baseline models from data on thousands of patients, then adapt them to an individual using machine learning. It’s like tailoring a custom-made suit — but for the brain.”

Alexey Sedov of the Federal Research Center for Chemical Physics (Russian Academy of Sciences) shared progress in treating Parkinson’s disease through deep brain stimulation:

“We’ve learned to activate stimulation only when the patient is about to move. This reduces brain load by a factor of four compared to constant stimulation.”

Looking Ahead: Prosthetics with Sensation and VR-Based Rehab

The most striking breakthroughs were presented in bionic prosthetics. Andrey Davidyuk, head of Motorika, highlighted:

“Our users can already feel temperature and texture through their prostheses. One patient even instinctively caught a falling cup — the prosthesis became part of his body.”

Alexey Osadchiy, Director of the Center for Bioelectric Interfaces at HSE, concluded:

“We stand at the threshold of an era when neurointerfaces will extend beyond clinics. But the most important thing is to preserve a humanistic approach. Technology should not replace people, but enhance their potential.”

A tour of HSE’s laboratories showcased practical innovations — from VR-based rehabilitation systems to prototypes of next-generation neurointerfaces. While mass adoption may still be years away, participants agreed that the early results are highly promising.

Source: https://www.hse.ru/news/science/1055508087.html?ysclid=mbzfdqubbq565545677