Join us for a conversation about Brain Computer Interface with Dr. Ramses Alcaide of Neurable. He tells us about his mission to create a world without limitations by bringing neurotech to everyone. Dr. Alcaide shares how he developed an interest in using neurotech to allow everybody to participate equally, the differences between invasive and non-invasive methods of BCI, and the importance of understanding a user’s intent. We touch on the fears around BCI, its  shortcomings and the future of BCI. We hope you join us to hear all this and more today.

• An introduction to Dr. Ramses Alcaide, his work at Neurable, and why it is personal to him.
• Dr. Alcaide’s studies in control systems and electrical engineering for prosthetics at the University of Washington.
• The key gap between the brain-mind connection and devices that inspired his PhD at the University of Michigan.
• Why he created his company: to bring BCI and neurotech to everybody, remove limitations and allow everyone to participate equally.
• Two key buckets: invasive and non-invasive Brain Computer Interface systems. 
• How brain data is gathered non-invasively: through electroencephalography, infrared, optics and more. 
• Muscle activations as an additional way to gather information from the brain through EMG.
• Eye trackers, accelerometers, and other tools that can be built if you understand user intent.
• Enten headphones and the soft fabric electrodes embedded into them. 
• Dr. Alcaide addresses concerns that BCI is outlandish. 
• How human advancement happens: through communicating better, or understanding yourself better.
• Key aspects of BCI: passive controls and active controls. 
• The goal to create a seamless and invisible interface that’s able to be predictive and help you before you need to reach out for help. 
• Neurable’s aim to integrate neurotech into everyday devices.
• Five areas that Brain Computer Interfaces have had shortcomings in: function, cost, societal fit, comfort, and user experience.
• Roadblocks to user experience: calibration, positioning, and response rate.
• Dr. Alcaide’s thoughts on the future of BCI in education and entertainment.
• How BCI could be integrated into the future of game design. 
• What businesses should know about leveraging BCI: leveraging the best times to work, creating customized learning for individual learners.

“My uncle got into a trucking accident and lost both his legs. I saw him work and struggle through the unnaturalness of his prosthetic systems and that inspired me to develop my time towards creating technology that would help those that are differently abled.” — @RamsesAlcaide [0:02:03]

“The short answer is, the people are right, it is crazy, it is outlandish, it is out there, but that’s why we should do it. You need to be able to push those frontiers.”  @RamsesAlcaide [0:12:30]

“What we’re doing here at Neurable is helping everybody right now. How do we find really key, critical, non-invasive solutions that can really help an individual either communicate now in their lives or understand themselves better in their lives.” — @RamsesAlcaide [0:13:05]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Neurable
Enten Headphones
Dr. Ramses Alcaide on LinkedIn
Dr. Ramses Alcaide on Twitter
Pearly Chen on Twitter
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