John Seymour on directional depth arrays and the future of neurosurgery
Neural Implant podcast - the people behind Brain-Machine Interface revolutions
Release Date: 09/26/2022
Samuel Browd | Venture Studios, BCI, and Digital Neurosurgery
Neural Implant podcast - the people behind Brain-Machine Interface revolutions
Dr. is a pediatric neurosurgeon, at the University of Washington, and Co-CEO/Chief Medical Officer of , a venture studio focused on neurological technologies. In this episode, we discuss his path from early neuroscience research and pediatric neurosurgery into device development, brain-computer interfaces, and the challenge of moving promising neurotechnology from universities into real clinical use. We also explore the idea of “digital neurosurgery”: how neurosurgery still captures enormous amounts of valuable data in analog or siloed ways, why AI and computer vision may reshape...
info_outline
Jin Hyung Lee | Visualizing Brain Circuits with EEG and AI
Neural Implant podcast - the people behind Brain-Machine Interface revolutions
is an associate professor at Stanford and founder of , a company translating years of brain circuit research into clinical software for neurological care. In this episode, we discuss how her team thinks about the brain as a circuit system, why neurological disorders can be difficult to diagnose with today’s tools, and how LVIS’s NeuroMatch platform aims to use EEG data to visualize brain network function in a more accessible way. We also talk about why EEG remains clinically useful despite its limitations, how software can help clean and interpret noisy brain signals, and why Dr. Lee...
info_outline
JB (NextSense) | Ear EEG Earbuds That Measure and Improve Sleep
Neural Implant podcast - the people behind Brain-Machine Interface revolutions
In this episode of the Neural Implant Podcast, , founder and CEO of , discusses how his team is transforming ordinary-looking earbuds into wearable brain interfaces capable of recording EEG directly from the ear. Originally incubated inside Google X before spinning out as an independent company, NextSense combines consumer electronics with neuroscience to monitor sleep, enhance slow-wave activity through closed-loop audio stimulation, and explore future applications ranging from epilepsy forecasting to Alzheimer's disease monitoring. We also discuss the engineering challenges of ear EEG,...
info_outline
Ali Samiian - The Hidden Barrier That Kills Neurotech Startups
Neural Implant podcast - the people behind Brain-Machine Interface revolutions
In this episode of the Neural Implant Podcast, host Dr. Ladan Jiracek speaks with , founder of , about one of the most overlooked challenges in neurotechnology and medical devices: reimbursement. Ali has spent over 20 years working across pharma, medical devices, and neuromodulation, including leadership roles at Abbott, Novartis, and Cala Health, where he helped secure reimbursement for a first-in-class wearable neuromodulation therapy for essential tremor. In this conversation, Ali explains why FDA approval alone is often not enough for a company to succeed, and why coding, coverage, and...
info_outline
Ellyn Ito - MindVibe and Non-Invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Stress and Focus
Neural Implant podcast - the people behind Brain-Machine Interface revolutions
In this episode of the Neural Implant Podcast, host Dr. Ladan Jiracek speaks with , CEO and co-founder of , about their wearable neurotechnology platform and flagship product, MindVibe. This non-invasive device combines vagus nerve stimulation and acupressure-based neuromodulation to help regulate the body’s stress response and improve overall wellness. Ellyn shares how MindVibe is designed to promote calm, enhance focus, and improve sleep quality through ultra-low electrical stimulation that users don’t even feel. The conversation explores the science behind multi-mode stimulation, why...
info_outline
Dr. Christian Iorio-Morin - From Gamma Knife to Neuroprosthetics: The Future of Functional Neurosurgery
Neural Implant podcast - the people behind Brain-Machine Interface revolutions
In this episode of the Neural Implant Podcast, host Dr. Ladan Jiracek speaks with , functional neurosurgeon and professor at the , about the evolving landscape of neurosurgery—from treating movement disorders and chronic pain to pushing the boundaries of paralysis recovery. Christian shares insights from his clinical work using gamma knife surgery, neuromodulation, and microvascular techniques, as well as his leadership on the RE-MOVE project, a large-scale initiative aiming to restore movement by reconnecting the brain and spinal cord through implantable technology. The conversation...
info_outline
Omari Bouknight - Resonant Link Medical and the Next Generation of Wirelessly Powered Neurotech
Neural Implant podcast - the people behind Brain-Machine Interface revolutions
In this episode of the Neural Implant Podcast, host Dr. Ladan Jiracek sits down with , CEO of , to explore how advances in wireless power transfer are reshaping the future of implantable medical devices. Omari shares how traditional power limitations have historically constrained device design—and how Resonant Link Medical’s technology is turning power into an enabler, allowing for smaller, smarter, and longer-lasting implants. The conversation dives into real-world applications across neurotech and beyond, including how faster, more efficient wireless charging could unlock advanced...
info_outline
Francesco Petrini - SensArs and the Future of Sensory Neuroprosthetics for Diabetic Neuropathy
Neural Implant podcast - the people behind Brain-Machine Interface revolutions
In this episode of the Neural Implant Podcast, host Dr. Ladan Jiracek sits down with Francesco Petrini, co-founder and CEO of SensArs, to discuss how intraneural stimulation could help restore sensation in patients with diabetic neuropathy. Francesco explains how loss of feeling in the feet can lead to unnoticed injuries, chronic wounds, and even amputations - and why rebuilding sensory feedback could dramatically improve quality of life. The conversation explores SensArs’ approach to neuromodulation and what it takes to translate sensory neuroprosthetics into real-world clinical impact. Top...
info_outline
Ignacio Sáez - Neurotechnology for Cognition: Recording and Modulating the Human Brain
Neural Implant podcast - the people behind Brain-Machine Interface revolutions
In this episode of the Neural Implant Podcast, host Dr. Ladan Jiracek sits down with Dr. , , whose lab uses intracranial brain recordings to study the biology of human cognition. Ignacio shares how cutting-edge neurotechnology like iEEG can reveal the neural dynamics behind decision-making, risk, memory, and brain states - and how those insights could unlock more targeted neuromodulation therapies for psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety. Top 3 Takeaways: Epilepsy patients undergoing seizure monitoring often have 100-200 electrodes implanted in their brains and may...
info_outline
Dr. Ladan Jiracek - My PhD Defense, LCP Neural Implants, and What’s Next
Neural Implant podcast - the people behind Brain-Machine Interface revolutions
In this solo episode of the Neural Implant Podcast, host Dr. Ladan Jiracek shares the story behind finally completing his PhD at the University of Florida - from the highs of passing his dissertation defense to the long, frustrating, and deeply technical journey of developing liquid crystal polymer (LCP)-based neural implants. I break down why LCP is so promising for long-term implantable devices, how delamination and bonding challenges became the core focus of his dissertation, and what it took to fabricate ultra-thin polymer electrodes approaching “biological invisibility.” I also...
info_outlineDr John Seymour is an Associate Professor at UT Health in Neurosurgery and at Rice University where his lab works on electrophysiology studies, biophysics modeling, and applying machine learning models to decoding of neural activity. A major project in our lab is focused on developing a long-term brain-machine interface for the treatment of aphasia or locked-in syndrome.
***This podcast is sponsored by Ripple Neuro, check out their Neuroscience Research Tools here***
Top 3 Takeaways:
- "Your job as the engineer is to create a high resolution map of a crowd's vocalization during some live event, the rules are, you only get the place, say 10 or 20 devices throughout the stadium but only on these devices. At some point you realize more and more microphones on these poles are going to generate redundant information and they won't help us in our challenge to map the vocalization of this massive stadium. People have a very good intuition for sounds and we all understand sound is directional. Neural signals act the same way."
- "A rough rule of thumb is if the substrate diameter is on the order of magnitude of the source size, then there is good directionality in that situation."
- One day neural devices will be based on the patient's anatomy and will be printed on-demand to match the patient
0:45 "Do you want to introduce yourself better than I just did?"
2:45 "Geographically, how close are Rice and UT health?"
3:15 "You're saying the future of neural implants is additive depth electrodes. What does that mean?"
13:45 Sponsorship by Ripple Neuro
14:15 "What's the solution, to try to make them directional?"
16:30 "So you basically need your collector to be as small as possible?"
18:30 "So by finding the right size of the electrode and the substrate diameter you're able to have directional electrodes?"
22:45 "What's the advantage of your technology? What does it change?"
28:00 " If you had unlimited funding, what would you be able to do with it?"
33:00 What kind of differences of electrode design would you expect patient to patient?
34:45 "These few years ago, you said you were at Rice before, exclusively, and then now moved to both UT Health and Rice. What's that been like?"
42:00"Is there anything that we didn't talk about that you wanted to mention?"