nanoTalks: Brain-computer Interface Applications & the Blockchain

Come and join us for the next round of nanoTalks, where we will learn more about brain-computer interface applications and the blockchain.

1. Talk: Brain-computer interface applications in medicine and beyond

Oliver Bichsel: PhD Student at ETH, Rehabilitation Engineering Lab

The human brain is our most intricate and important organ and its abilities astonish us day after day. Equally astounding is the rapid pace of development of robots and computers. At a brain-computer interface (BCI), the brain directly communicates with a processor. The potential of this technology can already be appreciated in applications of clinical neuroscience. In my doctoral thesis, I develop approaches enabling «thought-guided» robotic limb movement in patients with spinal cord injury, stroke, amputation etc., as well as new techniques that could revolutionise deep brain stimulation in Parkinson’s disease. Finally, the capacity of BCIs inevitably sparks the interest in enhancing the non-disabled human with BCIs, so we will explore some scenarios of the approaching digital brain era.

2. Talk: The Blockchain – How does it work and why is everyone talking about it?

Jan Carius: PhD Student at ETH, Robotic Systems Lab

The invention of the Blockchain and surrounding technology – most notably the cryptocurrency Bitcoin – has received significant media coverage over the last few years. Investors and startups try to eagerly exploit new opportunities and commercialize Blockchain-based applications. In my talk, I will focus on the significance of distributed verification and decision making. I will explore some cryptographic principles that form the basis of the Blockchain and explain how it powers cryptocurrencies. With this background, I then attempt to make some predictions on how the Blockchain can be used in other domains.