Research Ethics and Policy Series (REPS)
When: Tues. Nov. 11, 2025. 12-1pm Eastern
Where: Hybrid -102AB Richards Building, 3700 Hamilton Walk and via Zoom.
Registration required: Please click here to Register
Lunch provided
Ethical Dimensions of Implanted Brain-Computer Interface (iBCI) Research
Assistant Professor of Medical Ethics & Health Policy
Perelman School of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
Recent years have seen significant progress in brain-computer interfaces (iBCIs), which are systems that record neural signals from the brain and translate them into output. Once the domain of science fiction, iBCIs have enabled individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal cord injuries to interact with computers, produce speech, and control robotic limbs—just by using their thoughts. Yet the emergence of iBCIs as a novel class of therapeutics raises a distinct set of ethical challenges. This talk will provide an overview of recent advances in iBCI research and highlight key ethical issues, such as device abandonment and post-trial responsibilities, privacy of neural data, and the increasingly blurred lines between medical and non-medical applications.
