Cognixion, a neural interface startup, is trailblazing the development of AI-powered non-invasive Brain Computer Interface (BCI), assistive tech and other applications for individuals affected by neurodevelopmental disorders and injuries to the brain and spinal cord.
The neuroscience and technology company recently raised $12 million in seed funding to develop AI-powered interfaces to help people with communication and physical disabilities harness various speech and smart home controls. This will allow developers to make adaptive interfaces that will help Assisted Reality technology become more user-friendly and widely-accessible. Prime Movers Lab is the lead investor on this venture along with co-investors Northwell Health, Amazon Alexa Fund, and Volta Circle.
Cognixion ONE is Cognixion’s “patented non-invasive, wireless brain-computer interface with an integrated augmented reality display.” This BCI allows for hands-free and voice-free control by utilizing the brainwave associations with visual concentration on an interactive object. The closed-loop device “stimulates the visual cortex within the brain and reads its activity while sending control signals back to the AR application.”
Additionally, Cognixion will continue to develop advanced machine learning algorithms and a highly intelligent AI-powered language system. By learning and adapting to the precise style of communication from the user, this language system will seek to understand what the user is trying to communicate more efficiently. Users will even be able to connect with their Amazon Alexa within Cogixion’s headset to interact with their environment, access music, news, etc.
Andreas Forsland, Cognixion’s Founder and CEO, is striving to make his company a catalyst in the pursuit of greater accessibility for augmented reality technology. “We believe that technology should be inclusive and universally accessible to every individual, and everyone deserves a solution that can adapt to their needs,” he said.
Amy Kruse, Prime Movers Lab General Partner, stated that it will be “fundamentally life-changing” to incorporate AI software platforms with hardware to help individuals with speech or motor disabilities communicate. Forsland, Kruse, and other investors see the sky as the limit for potential the groups they may be able to help. From Cerebral Palsy, ALS, to stroke survivors, a variety of individuals with communication disabilities may find a solution in their product.
