US-based company Motif Neurotech has received significant funding through the ARIA programme to advance its innovative brain stimulation technology. The funding will support the development of a general-purpose platform capable of monitoring and regulating mental and cognitive states with high accuracy.
Jacob Robinson, CEO of Motif Neurotech, expressed his enthusiasm for the grant: “This funding will allow us to accelerate our efforts to develop a platform capable of accurately monitoring and regulating mental and cognitive states. The brain is an electrical organ, and we believe the best treatments for mental and cognitive disorders will involve interacting with the brain in its native language.”
The technology being developed has the potential to revolutionise treatment for a range of cognitive, neurological, and psychiatric conditions. By regulating brain states associated with mood, attention, and sleep, the system could provide more effective solutions for patients. Part of the funding will also focus on improving accessibility, with the aim of making the implantation process simple, rapid, and low risk.
The system utilises a network of wireless implants, each millimetre-sized and designed to be placed in the skull during a 20-minute procedure. Once implanted, the devices, which are cosmetically invisible, will provide stimulation and record brain activity without making direct contact with the brain. The implants target specific cell types to improve the precision of treatment, potentially reducing side effects while enhancing effectiveness.
The technology could be deployed across the entire cortical surface, enabling the regulation of brain-wide circuits tailored to individual patient needs.
Motif Neurotech will collaborate with several research partners to achieve these advancements. UK-based startup MintNeuro will work on miniaturising the implants through custom integrated circuits. Kaiyuan Yang, an associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rice University, will focus on designing efficient wireless power and data transfer circuits.
Further contributions will come from the Robinson Lab at Rice University, which will handle system integration and testing. Preclinical animal studies will be led by Valentin Dragoi, a distinguished professor at Houston Methodist and Weill Cornell Medical College.
Motif Neurotech has described the ARIA grant as a major milestone, underscoring the confidence in its groundbreaking technology. The funding will enable the company to move closer to its goal of creating advanced neural devices capable of transforming the lives of those with mental and cognitive disorders.
The company hopes its technology will bridge gaps in the treatment of conditions such as depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders, providing new solutions for millions worldwide.
