Epson and its subsidiary company Epson X Investment Corporation (“EXI”) have invested in startup company Neurable. Neurable is a Boston-based spinout from the University of Michigan that is working on Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technology that uses brain wave (“electroencephalography / EEG”) activity.
BCI technology connects the brain to an external device such as a computer or an IoT device, was initially limited to certain areas such as medical treatment and rehabilitation.
In recent years, however, with improvements in the accuracy of brain-wave sensors and the quality of signal detection, promising new applications are emerging in the healthcare and consumer electronics fields.
We are excited to support Neurable, the leader in non-invasive neurotechnology, reaching new heights with its innovative technology and great philosophy. We look forward to joining Neurable on their journey to advance BCI technology.
Sumio Utsunomiya, COO of Epson X Investment Corporation.
For wellness applications, BCI technology may be used to boost concentration, improve sleep quality, or alleviate stress. BCI can also improve gaming as well as augmented and virtual reality when embedded into consumer electronics.
With the measurement of brain wave activity expected to drive the expansion of the well-being and healthcare markets, Neurable draws on knowledge and insights from neuroscience and an abundance of research data to develop AI-based algorithms for extracting and analysing EEG data.
The company sells non-invasive BCI technology to OEMs, enabling various products such as headphones, earbuds, and AR that give users access to their own data, privately and securely, to improve productivity and wellness.
Neurable wants to create a world without physical or mental limitations using its advanced algorithms and hardware to measure brain activity and provide actionable insights that everyone, everywhere, can use in their everyday lives.
Epson seeks to give people more lifestyle options and improve their mental and physical health by using pulse sensors and other biosensing technologies. This investment decision was made based on the potential of Neurable’s algorithms and hardware technology in the growing well-being and healthcare markets, as well as on the promise of their platform business.
Going forward, Epson will help to achieve a sustainable society by creating a variety of partnerships and synergies based on our proprietary technologies, products, and services.
This is just the beginning for neurotechnology. We are at the cusp of being able to ethically create seamless relationship for people and their technology. Epson shares these values with our company and we could not be more excited to have them as global partners.
Dr. Ramses Alcaide, CEO of Neurable
While Neurable is taking a different approach, their objective of resolving health issues through technology in the brain, means they are effectively a competitor to Neuralink, a company that is developing implantable brain–computer interfaces.
