Wearable Brain-Computer-Interface demoed 'in the real-world'
The INSIDE Institute for NeuroAI institute is showcasing wearable EEG systems enabling real-time brain control in public demonstrations.
The INSIDE Institute for NeuroAI is demonstrating non-invasive brain–computer interfaces can operate reliably in real-world, high-pressure environments.
The institute in an announcement, highlighted that a series of public demonstrations last year showed real-time neural decoding could be learned quickly, deployed with minimal setup, and used effectively by non-experts.
At a globally livestreamed exhibition during the 2025 National Amateur Chinese Chess Championship, players wore lightweight EEG headsets and moved chess pieces using brain signals alone, without keyboards, mice, or touchscreens.
Participants had no prior BCI training and received only a three-to-five-minute on-site explanation; the match ran for more than 30 minutes under competitive conditions with stable performance, the institute said.
INSIDE researchers said action-role-playing game tests showed broader control modes.
Two participants, one with spinocerebellar ataxia and another with muscular dystrophy, controlled all in-game actions using brain signals alone after approximately five minutes of calibration; neither had prior BCI experience.
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“I didn’t expect I could play games using my brain again,” one participant said. INSIDE researchers added that the non-invasive system supports a higher level of continuous, multi-dimensional control—degrees of freedom—exceeding those publicly demonstrated for implant-based systems such as Neuralink, without surgery, recovery time, or daily recalibration.
The institute said industry analysts anticipate expansion into assistive control for people with mobility impairments, hands-free operation at laboratory workbenches or in surgical and clinical settings, smart-home interaction and AR glasses integration, thought-based text input for users with speech loss, and direct control of robotic and autonomous systems.
The Recap
- INSIDE Institute demonstrated non-invasive BCI working in real-world settings.
- Players operated chess pieces using brain signals, no touch devices.
- Institute cited potential expansion into assistive and hands-free applications.
