UK’s First Closed-Loop Neurotechnology Hackathon at Imperial College London

Lloyd Price
5 minutes ago
3 min read

UK’s First Closed-Loop Neurotechnology Hackathon

The Nelson Advisors team was excited to attend the UK’s First Closed-Loop Neurotechnology Hackathon at Imperial College London on Thursday this week. The event took place over 2 days at The Sir Michael Uren Hub, an exciting new development at the heart of Imperial’'s White City Campus.

The 13-storey building comprises of state-of-the-art laboratory and office facilities for the next generation of biomedical engineering research across technology and application themes. Housing interdisciplinary research initiatives from across Imperial’s departments and faculties, the building drives clinical translation of MedTech innovation through integrated clinical and imaging facilities and by virtue of its proximity to the Hammersmith Hospital campus.

The 30-hour overnight event brought together over 100 neurotechnology enthusiasts, from first-year undergraduates to professional neurotechnologists, to build, code, design, and create neurotech-related projects, with a focus on closed-loop neuromodulation. Participants could work on projects involving brain-computer interfaces and computational neuroscience, including a unique Computational Neuroscience 'Capture the Flag' competition.

Source: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/biomedical-engineering/sir-michael-uren-hub/

Closed-Loop Neurotechnology Hackathon

A "Closed-Loop Neurotechnology Hackathon" is a specialized hackathon where participants focus on developing closed-loop neuromodulation systems.

What is Closed-Loop Neurotechnology?

At its core, a closed-loop system involves a feedback mechanism. In neurotechnology, this translates to:

Sensing: Continuously monitoring neural activity or signals (e.g., using EEG, fMRI, or implanted electrodes).
Processing: Analysing the sensed information in real-time to determine the brain's current state and the appropriate response.
Delivering: Providing a targeted intervention or "output" (e.g., electrical stimulation, drug delivery, or a sensory cue) based on the processed information.
Monitoring Effect: Continuously observing how the intervention impacts neural activity, creating a dynamic feedback loop.

This continuous monitoring and adjustment allow for more precise, adaptive, and personalised therapies or applications.

Why a Hackathon for Closed-Loop Neurotechnology?

These hackathons bring together diverse minds – neuroscientists, engineers, data scientists, developers, and designers – to rapidly innovate in this complex field. The goals typically include:

Building Impactful Solutions: Creating prototypes or proof-of-concept devices/algorithms that address real-world challenges in neuroscience and healthcare.
Collaboration and Learning: Fostering interdisciplinary teamwork and providing opportunities to learn from mentors and hands-on experience.
Rapid Prototyping: Accelerating the development of novel closed-loop systems, often in a competitive and time-pressured environment.
Pushing the Boundaries: Exploring cutting-edge applications, from treating neurological disorders (epilepsy, Parkinson's) to enhancing cognitive function or controlling advanced prosthetics.

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