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Ultrasound Brain Interfaces: A New Frontier
China’s burgeoning brain-computer interface industry has welcomed a novel approach – utilizing ultrasound technology for both stimulation and reading brain activity. This development, spearheaded by Gestala, marks a significant shift from traditional invasive methods.

Gestala: Pioneering Non-Invasive Ultrasound BCIs
A new company, Gestala, recently established in Chengdu with offices in Shanghai and Hong Kong, is at the forefront of this innovation. CEO and cofounder Phoenix Peng envisions a future where focused ultrasound is used to treat chronic pain, representing a crucial first step in this technology's development.

OpenAI’s Investment Fuels the BCI Race
Just weeks prior, OpenAI announced a substantial investment in brain-computer interface startup Merge Labs, cofounded by CEO Sam Altman alongside other tech executives and Forest Neurotech. This investment signals the growing recognition of BCIs' potential across various applications.

Ultrasound: A Promising, Yet Complex, Technology
Ultrasound, commonly employed in medical diagnostics like fetal monitoring, is now being explored for therapeutic applications within the brain. Researchers are investigating its ability to treat diseases and modulate neural activity without surgical intervention.

Targeting Chronic Pain with Focused Ultrasound
Initial Gestala plans involve a stationary benchtop device delivering focused ultrasound to the anterior cingulate cortex—a brain region central to the emotional experience of pain—to effectively reduce pain intensity in individuals for up to a week. This targeted approach addresses chronic pain, a prevalent and debilitating condition.

Beyond Pain Management: Expanding BCIs’ Reach
Gestala’s ambitions extend far beyond chronic pain. The company intends to progressively expand its applications to encompass depression, various mental illnesses, stroke rehabilitation, Alzheimer’s disease, and sleep disorders, showcasing the broad potential of this technology.

A Novel Approach: Measuring Blood Flow Changes
Like Neuralink’s interface, most brain-computer interfaces rely on capturing electrical signals generated by neurons. However, Gestala’s approach would involve measuring changes in brain blood flow via ultrasound, a potentially more comprehensive method.

Challenges and Future Prospects
Extracting information from the brain with ultrasound presents significant engineering challenges, particularly due to the skull’s distortion of ultrasound signals. While Merge Labs’ website highlights ambitious goals, including potential integration with advanced AI, many of these applications are likely years away.

This article is AI-synthesized from public sources and may not reflect original reporting.