Mark LaPedus

EE Times

(05/20/2005 1:25 AM EDT)

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Startup NeuroSky Inc. is in the midst of raising venture capital funding to develop its first product — a ``neural-mapping`` sensor and chip solution designed for consumer, industrial and medical applications.

NeuroSky (Santa Clara, Calif.), a fabless design house that consists of U.S. chip designers and neuroscience experts from Moscow National University, is developing a dry sensor product, a signal processing chipset, and intellectual property (IP). The company also claims to have an exclusive license to brainwave interpretation algorithms, which were developed in Russia.

The company said it will embed these components in a lightweight, low-cost headset, which will interact with separate electronic and electromechanical devices in ``neural-mapping`` applications. Initially, it will focus on three applications: sleep/drowsiness detectors for the automotive and industrial markets; therapeutic solutions for attention deficit disorder (ADD) problems; and gaming consoles.

``NeuroSky has developed a revolutionary non-invasive neural sensor solution that converts brainwaves and eye movements into electronic signals for communication and control of electronic devices,`` according to the company. ``NeuroSky`s low-cost dry sensors and signal processing chipsets enable neural-mapping capability to be embedded into many products.``

``The solution combines low-cost neural and bio-signal sensor technology with proprietary algorithms that map brainwave patterns to actual personality,`` said George Lauro, a venture capitalist at Wasserstein Venture Capital, who is also serving as an advisor to the startup.

Stanley Yang is the chief executive of NeuroSky. Yang was previously the CEO of Triscend Corp., a developer of configurable embedded microcontrollers. In March, FPGA specialist Xilinx Inc. acquired Triscend.

Meanwhile, NeuroSky claims to have made a breakthrough in neural-mapping sensors, which have not reached broader markets because of high cost, size, and invasive surgical implantation procedures.

``Brainwave and eye movement bio-signals are captured and amplified using (NeuroSky`s) patented dry-sensor technology,`` according to the company. ``These signals feed into NeuroSky`s signal processing unit, which runs interpretation software to translate the EEG (Electro-encephalogram for brain waves) and EOG (Electro-oculogram for eye movement) into logic command inputs for consumer or industrial products.``

At present, the company claims to be developing several new and breakthrough technologies:

*Dry active sensors that do not use contact gels.

*Direction control that is accurate and reproducible using proprietary algorithms that include digital filtering and ICA based JADE algorithms.

*Neuro-signal interpretation based on technology acquired from existing databases and algorithms.

The company, which has 17 employees, has obtained less than $1 million in funding thus far. It plans to raise some $3-to-$5 million of Series A financing in the near future.

The funding will enable the company to develop its product line, which is slated for 2006. This funding will also be used to put the chipset into production, strengthen its patent portfolio, and boost its marketing and sales efforts.

Such dry electromagnetic activity sensor systems linked to computer control software have been demonstrated before, but mainly in academia and medical research.

Another startup company, Cyberkinetics Neurotechnology Systems Inc. (Foxborough, Mass.), has demonstrated the use of an implantable microelectrode array that combined with a digital signal processing system forms its so-called ``BrainGate`` interface. This has been used to allow thought to control a television (see April 4, 2005, story).