Translation of neurotechnologies

Abstract

Neurotechnologies combine engineering methods and neuroscientific knowledge to design devices that interface the brain with the outside world. Since the early 2000s, inspiring and encouraging neurotechnology examples have been the subject of high-profile scientific articles and made headlines in popular media. However, although neurotechnologies have the potential to improve people’s lives in ways that cannot be achieved by other solutions such as pharmaceuticals, only a few of them have established themselves as clinical solutions. In this Review, we provide a systematic, state-of-the-art assessment of the opportunities and shortcomings of neurotechnology’s engineering and scientific components, and highlight the requirements to overcome translational barriers. Finally, we present a comprehensive framework to aid the clinical and commercial translation of neurotechnologies. Despite inspiring proof-of-concepts that are often widely covered by the media, only a few neurotechnologies have firmly established themselves as clinical solutions. In this Review, we discuss opportunities and shortcomings of this technology, and provide a framework to facilitate clinical and commercial translation.