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Brain-computer interfaces as a connection between the brain and the digital world

Zander Labs is creating a world where technology understands and adapts to us.

Published on November 18, 2024

Brain-computer interface van Zander Labs

Everything new is wildly interesting! That's the motto of our DATA+ expert, Elcke Vels. She writes stories about AI and how it affects our society, has a series on cyber security, and interviews Dutch innovation maestros. In her “What if...” column, she also explores intriguing scenarios that deviate from the status quo.

It sounds like a distant future: a brain-computer interface (BCI) that controls digital systems, in the car or in the nursing home, based on your mental state. However, the application of this technology is closer than you think. Zander Labs is developing a passive BCI that records mental states, outside the lab. The company recently received a €30 million grant to further develop the technology. This is the largest single grant for a research project within the European Union.

There is work to be done. Over the next few years, Zander Labs is conducting numerous tests in their labs, with thousands of participants. The goal: to make AI systems more “human” so they can better assist us in numerous situations, for instance: while driving. CEO Jonathan Zwaan: “Our AI systems learn from the human brain. That way we create smart systems that better understand us, and the world around us.” To make that happen, the company is now working on a plug-and-play BCI, with integrated AI that can read real-time brain signals or mental states.

Founded by scientist Thorsten Zander, Zander Labs has grown into a German-Dutch company, headquartered near the TU Delft campus. The deep-tech company can now make great leaps forward thanks in part to the grant pot from the German federal organization Agentur für Innovation in der Cybersicherheit. “The funding has enabled us to build a complete team, and open new offices and labs. This is how we are going to significantly improve the connection between humans and technology in the short term,” Zwaan said.

Non-invasive

Anyone who thinks of a BCI quickly thinks of Neuralink. Yet there are significant differences between the techniques used by Neuralink and Zander Labs. Whereas Neuralink uses invasive procedures by placing electrodes in the brain, for which holes are drilled in the skull, Zander Labs focuses on EEG (electroencephalography), in which electrodes are placed on the scalp to measure brain activity.

Through EEG, Zander Labs can track a wide range of brain signals and extract useful information about how people are feeling and, moreover, arrow their reactions. Swan explains: “Whereas Neuralink focuses on active BCIs, where the user consciously and directly controls the computer, such as moving a cursor, we use a passive approach. The EEG measures unconscious and implicit brain signals, such as moods, emotions and reactions, and does so continuously. This data is used to adapt a digital system, such as an AI agent, to the user without the user having to actively direct it.”

Plug-and-play

Currently, an EEG signal is usually measured in the lab, with a “swim cap” with electrodes. Zwaan: “We are now working on a portable, unobtrusive patch that can be placed behind the ear or on the forehead. The ultimate goal is to integrate this patch into glasses, headsets or other wearable devices.”

To arrive at a wearable plug-and-play solution, Zander Labs is working closely with the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMT in Oldenburg, among others, in the grant project. “Together we are ensuring that we take EEG data outside the laboratory. This is crucial for increasing the applicability of our technology in the real world.”

Automotive and healthcare

Passive BCIs will come in handy in a wide range of future applications, such as in the automotive industry. Zander Labs has worked with Volkswagen on a study to assess the effectiveness of advanced EEG headsets for improving the driving experience. BCIs assess the state of drivers, which could significantly improve the driving experience in the future. “For example, the car can adjust driving mode based on state of mind. Think about playing calming music when stressed, or even boost safety systems when detections indicate fatigue or inattention. In this way, EEG makes driving safer, more intuitive and more personal,” Zwaan said.

There are also many potential applications in health care. “Our technology can be used to create AI buddies who support people in living healthier lives and improving their well-being. By monitoring real-time brain signals and interpreting mental states, robots and systems can play a role in reducing stress, supporting healthy habits such as quitting smoking, or promoting a healthy work-life balance. These applications show how our platform creates empathetic technology that truly connects with people.”

In the future, BCIs will come in handy in many other sectors. For example, a smart home adjusts lighting and temperature based on a person's mood. Likewise, a virtual assistant can automatically organize the calendar depending on the user's stress level.

Testing, testing, and more testing

Before Zander Labs enters the market, it still has challenges to overcome. These include eliminating the calibration process, which is currently required to measure and interpret EEG signals. This process involves setting up and adjusting a device to measure accurately. It then takes into account the specifics of an individual or circumstances.

In the case of brain activity, this means matching measurements to a person's unique brain patterns. This is not an easy task because a person's brain activity can be different every day. That is why Zander Labs opened three operational labs in Delft, Munich and Berlin, and a fourth research center is in the pipeline. Over the next few years, the company plans to have some 4,000 participants tested in these labs. Each participant undergoes three- to four-hour tests that measure various mental states such as focus, attention, and working memory load. These tests, developed by neuropsychologists and cognitive psychologists, are crucial to ensure that the correct mental states are recorded.

“To find a universal signal for mental state such as “workload,” we look for a small, generic pattern that is always and in everyone, despite various forms of noise; this requires a lot of data to isolate this stable core signal. And by working with a broad group of participants with diverse demographic backgrounds, we create a huge database, ensuring that our technology ultimately works effortlessly and instantly, without testing prior to use,” Zwaan said.

A revolution

Whether it's television or Wi-Fi, the introduction of new technologies and products is often accompanied by skepticism and sometimes even fear. Yet such groundbreaking innovations have become indispensable in our daily lives. Swan concluded, “I am convinced that a similar type of revolution will take place, where BCIs will completely change the way we interact with technology. This development will eventually lead to applications whose impact we cannot yet foresee.”