Pure optical detection of spikes for the ultimate brain machine interface

(Phys.org)—Brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) are basically gimmicks. The reason you don't hear so much about them these days is because, in the fullness of time, significant tangible benefit to a user has flat out failed to materialize. Simply stated, neither prickly microelectrode arrays, harrowing optogenetic reworks to our physiology, nor tattooing our brains with toxic fluorescents won't ever give us what we need. On the other hand, if you can watch native spikes bubble unmolested through axon tracts from afar, sans any of the aforementioned hazards, you might be onto something.

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