Brain Power: Why Neurotechnology is Making Waves

During the past two years, consumers have signed up for health apps and wearable technology, like FitBits or Apple Watches, in record numbers. Everybody is looking for something—anything—to help calm their minds, sleep better, or boost productivity. Meanwhile, a new generation of entrepreneurs is taking wearable health technology a step further to solve some of society’s biggest neurological challenges—including depression and traumatic brain injury—as well as find ways to enhance our quality of life.

In this episode of Disruptors, an RBC podcast, co-host Trinh Theresa Do tackles the recent explosion of neurotechnology in Canada with her guest Derek Luke, CEO of InteraXon. InteraXon is the maker of Muse, a popular EEG-powered headband that senses brain activity through meditation exercises and provides real-time feedback to users’ phones or tablets. The idea is a simple but powerful one: by leveraging neurotechnology, consumers can find meaningful ways to live a healthier, happier life.

But this technology is not without its limitations, as Derek and Theresa discuss. There are important privacy considerations in handling sensitive data—and ethical considerations with more intrusive forms of neurotech. Still, there’s little doubt that as brain-computer interfaces and headsets like Muse’s grow in popularity, the era of superhuman cognition may be just around the corner.

EPISODE NOTES:

To learn more about Muse and its brain-sensing headband, follow this link.

In the episode, Derek talks about some of the ways in which Muse and its EEG technology is being used in research. To read about those projects, click here.

Also mentioned was the University of Toronto’s Creative Destruction Lab, and its new Neuro Stream for entrepreneurs, scientists, researchers and investors. To learn more, click here.

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