Man, I never thought I’d be talking about brain chips like they’re the next big tech gadget, but here we are. So, Gabe Newell, you know, the Valve guy we associate with epic video games? Well, he’s dipping his toes—or more like, diving headfirst—into the world of neuroscience. His company, Starfish Neuroscience, is working on this tiny neural chip. It sounds fancy, right? But really, it’s all about creating better brain-computer interfaces—with way less surgical fuss. And they might just be closer to reality than we think. Or maybe that’s just the optimist in me talking.
Anyway, the latest update from Starfish is kind of mind-bending. They’re teaming up with some R&D folks at imec to conjure up this low-power neural chip. The goal? To wirelessly and seamlessly read and stimulate neural activity. Like, imagine a little gadget in your brain that can help tackle complex neurological disorders. I can almost hear Newell pitching it like he’s announcing Half-Life 3 or something.
There’s a pic floating around too. Gabe and Mike Armbinder, looking all brainy. It doesn’t really scream “sci-fi future” but hey, looks can be deceiving, right?
So, this project is tackling the big issue with existing neural implants. They’re usually bulky and guzzle power like an old refrigerator. Plus, jamming these things into multiple brain areas feels like some daunting sci-fi movie plot. Starfish’s approach promises to shift this narrative. They’re all about downsizing—making itty-bitty chips (like 2 x 4mm small) to slip in easily. I mean, brain surgery still sounds terrifying, but this is kind of cool.
And guess what? Starfish’s chip specs are out. Let me try to make sense of it: Low power? Check. Super small? Double check. Can do both recording and stimulating? Yup. 32 electrode sites and other things I wish I understood better. Seems like a serious tech leap to me.
Now, the real kick is Starfish’s call for collaborators. They want to team up with folks to explore new uses of this technology. Think beyond medical science—Newell hinted about this way back. He said something about us being closer to ‘The Matrix’ than we realize. Pretty wild, huh? Like, connecting to the brain’s motor or visual cortex could be more feasible than we all thought. But making someone feel “cold” through the brain? That’s like, bringing in science fiction level challenges. Who knew the brain had finicky interfaces?
And hey, remember Mike Ambinder? Before leaving Valve, he talked about integrating brain-computer interfaces into gaming. Imagine games responding to our emotions or thoughts. It’s like entering a dream where the game knows you better than your best friend. Now that’s a level of immersion I never dreamt of.
Shout-out to Brad ‘SadlyItsBradley’ Lynch for shedding light on this. The future is dizzying, but kind of exhilarating, don’t you think?
