In a small study, USC’s Dong Song demonstrated the efficacy of an implantable “memory prosthesis.”   Dr. Song presented his work at the Society for Neuroscience conference in Washington this week.

20 volunteers had the device implanted at the same time as electrodes for epilepsy treatment, a procedure which they had already planned.

The “prosthesis” collected brain activity data during tests designed to stimulate  short-term memory or working memory. The researchers then determined and used optimal memory performance patterns to stimulate the brain during later tests.

They claimed that the procedure improved short-term memory by  approximately 15 percent, and working memory by 25 percent. When the brain was stimulated randomly, performance worsened.

Join ApplySci at Wearable Tech + Digital Health + Neurotech Silicon Valley on February 26-27, 2018 at Stanford University. Speakers include:  Vinod Khosla – Justin Sanchez – Brian Otis – Bryan Johnson – Zhenan Bao – Nathan Intrator – Carla Pugh – Jamshid Ghajar – Mark Kendall – Robert Greenberg – Darin Okuda – Jason Heikenfeld – Bob Knight – Phillip Alvelda – Paul Nuyujukian –  Peter Fischer – Tony Chahine – Shahin Farshchi – Ambar Bhattacharyya – Adam D’Augelli

Registration rates increase November 17th, 2017