Chinese scientists have achieved a groundbreaking milestone in the field of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs)! Recently, Professor Ye Zhewei's team at Wuhan Union Hospital, in collaboration with Zhong Hua Brain-Computer Interface Company, globally debuted a multi-modal 3D atlas of micro-scale BCIs. This significant advancement marks a substantial improvement in the precision and safety of BCI surgery.
This research integrates three cutting-edge technologies: micro-CT (with a resolution of 12 micrometers), 9.4T ultra-high-field magnetic resonance imaging, and mixed reality technology. Compared to the millimeter-level precision of traditional medical imaging, this new technology boasts a hundredfold improvement in imaging resolution, providing a clear view of the complex relationships between the skull, brain functional areas, blood vessels, and implanted electrodes.
BCI technology is a revolutionary technology enabling direct connection between the brain and external devices. It captures brain signals and converts them into electrical signals for information transmission and control. This technology is widely used in medicine, particularly to help paralyzed patients control external devices.
Traditional two-dimensional imaging struggles to clearly depict the complex relationship between BCI electrodes and surrounding tissues, resulting in high surgical risks and a steep learning curve. This new micro-scale 3D atlas, utilizing mixed reality technology, provides precise guidance for surgeons during pre-operative planning, intraoperative assistance, and post-operative assessment. Surgeons, wearing MR glasses, can see through the skull and brain tissue, observing in real-time the spatial relationship between the electrodes, the cerebral cortex, and blood vessels.
Project leader Professor Ye Zhewei stated that the new technology elevates BCI medical imaging from the millimeter to the micrometer level, allowing medical personnel to observe in a comprehensive, three-dimensional manner, significantly enhancing surgical precision and safety. This achievement has been published in Current Medical Science, an English SCI journal published by Huazhong University of Science and Technology, and featured as a cover article, highlighting its significant impact in the academic community.
This technology not only sets a new benchmark for BCI surgery but also opens up new possibilities for future medical education and further research.