Boston-based brain-computer interface technology company Neurable announced a partnership with Canadian precision health company Healthspan Digital to offer its neurotechnology to health and longevity clinics to help providers assess cognitive performance and brain health. 

Brain-computer interfaces collect brain signals and translate them into commands that are then relayed to external devices, such as computers or internet-of-things (IoT) devices. 

Using signal processing technology developed at the University of Michigan, Neurable uses everyday devices, such as headphones layered with bands, to record one's brain activity. The platform uses AI algorithms to extract and analyze Electroencephalogram (EEG) data to measure brain wave activity. 

Healthspan Digital uses analytics, clinical expertise and technology to provide preventative and personalized health options to delay age-related diseases through early detection. 

The company offers AI-enabled predictive analytics, whole-genome sequencing and epigenetic technology, laboratory biomarkers, and clinical services, such as hormone, obesity and metabolism assistance. 

Healthspan is a membership-based platform that works with individuals and enterprise clients.  

Through the partnership, Healthspan will introduce Neurable's technology into health and longevity clinics globally, beginning in Dubai, to help providers assess individuals' brain health and cognitive performance. 

"This partnership represents a significant step forward in our mission to empower our Healthspan programs with advanced brain health tools, ultimately enhancing human performance and well-being," Dr. Fady Hannah-Shmouni, founder and CEO of Healthspan Digital and academic endocrinologist and geneticist at the University of British Columbia, said in a statement. 

"By integrating Neurable's BCI technology into precision health and longevity solutions, clinics will be equipped with state-of-the-art capabilities to monitor and improve brain health, ultimately contributing to the advancement of human performance and longevity."

THE LARGER TREND

Epson and its subsidiary, Epson X Investment Corporation, made an undisclosed investment in Neurable last year.  

Another neurotechnology outfit is Elon Musk's Neuralink, which launched in 2016. The company developed an implantable brain-computer interface called the Link. 

It announced last May that it received FDA approval to conduct its first in-human clinical study. Last week, Neuralink reported that the human recipient of its brain chip implant, a quadriplegic, is able to play video games using his mind. 

Still, researchers have expressed concerns about the lack of transparency around the implant, and activist group The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, which advocates against animal testing, filed a complaint in 2022 with the U.S. Department of Agriculture against the University of California, Davis, alleging that Neuralink violated the federal Animal Welfare Act due to invasive testing and performing brain experiments on monkeys.