Bridge Neurotech emerged from stealth with $13.5 million in funding to advance a brain-computer interface (BCI) that uses ultrasound to monitor brain activity through the skull, avoiding surgical implants. The startup partners with Butterfly Network to leverage chip-based ultrasound technology in its innovative approach.
- Raised $13.5M to develop implant-free ultrasound BCI
- Partnered with Butterfly Network for ultrasound chip technology
- First human study enrolling adults in California
What happened
Bridge Neurotech announced a $13.5 million funding round to develop a novel brain-computer interface that does not require surgical implants. The company’s technology uses functional ultrasound imaging (fUSI) to capture brain activity non-invasively by scanning through the skull.
Bridge has signed a multi-year research partnership with Butterfly Network, which provides integrated chip-based ultrasound devices. The startup aims to integrate Butterfly’s Ultrasound-on-Chip technology into a wearable platform for real-time brain monitoring. Their initial human clinical study is currently enrolling participants at a Redwood City location.
Why it matters
Current brain-computer interfaces often require invasive surgery to implant electrodes, limiting their accessibility and increasing risks. Bridge Neurotech’s ultrasound method offers a safer alternative without implants, potentially broadening the scope of BCI applications and user populations.
By combining functional ultrasound imaging with AI decoding algorithms, Bridge aims to create a precise, wearable device capable of reading brain signals in real-time. This approach could accelerate development of non-invasive BCIs for health monitoring, communication aids, and beyond, competing with other startups exploring ultrasound-based interfaces.
What to watch next
Observing the progress and results of Bridge Neurotech’s ongoing human trials will be critical to validating the effectiveness of ultrasound-based brain-computer interfaces. Key metrics will include signal accuracy, user comfort, and stimulation-response capabilities without surgery.
The partnership with Butterfly Network also merits attention, as successful integration of their ultrasound chip technology could establish a new hardware standard for non-invasive neurotechnology. Additionally, competitive moves by other companies like Merge Labs, backed by Sam Altman, will shape the ultrasound BCI landscape.