Seiko Epson Corporation (Epson) and its subsidiary company Epson X Investment Corporation (EXI) have invested in startup company Neurable, Inc., through a joint fund, the EP-GB Investment Limited Partnership.
Boston-based Neurable, a University of Michigan spinout founded by Dr. Ramses Alcaide and Adam Molnar, develops brain-computer interface (BCI) technology that uses brain wave (“electroencephalography / EEG”) activity.
Research projects involving BCI technology, which connects the brain to an external device such as a computer or an IoT device, were 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.
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 said that 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.
