Neuro engineering

Silicon Brains
Computer chips designed to mimic how the human brain works could shed light on our cognitive capacities.

Kwabena Boahen's lab at Stanford University is spotless. A lone circuit board, housing a very special chip, sits on a bare lab bench. The transistors in a typical computer chip are arranged for maximal processing speed; but this microprocessor features clusters of tiny transistors designed to mimic the electrical properties of neurons. Read More
Raising Consciousness
Some seemingly unconscious patients have startlingly complex brain activity. What does that mean about their potential for recovery? And what can it tell us about the nature of consciousness?
Next-Generation Retinal Implant
Scientists plan to test an implanted chip with four times the resolution of the previous version in people blinded by retinal degeneration.
Finding Hidden Tumors
Doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital are using whole-body MRI to illuminate a tricky disease.
MRI: A Window on the Brain
Advances in brain imaging could lead to improved diagnosis of psychiatric ailments, better drugs, and earlier help for learning disorders.
A Brain Chip to Control Paralyzed Limbs
Research is under way to make a brain chip capable of triggering muscle movement.
Brain Chips Give Paralyzed Patients New Powers
A neural implant allows paralyzed patients to control computers and robotic arms -- and, maybe one day, their own limbs.
Brain Electrodes Help Treat Depression
Studies suggest that deep brain stimulation could effectively treat depression.