Using the BCI in the Lab

i wanted to better understand the cognitive burden or o using the b c i. Is it thing that when you walk out of the lab, you just feel so much more exhausted as a result of that level of concentration? Or how would you describe that? For me, it started pretty heavy early on, as you know, a lot of intense concentration on using the device. But after six months of going into sessions, unless something new was thrown at me, it was, you know, just like riding a bike again. I wasn't needing to concentrate as hard. It was much more second nature.

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In this very special two part series in collaboration with Blackrock Neurotech, Paradromics CEO Matt Angle and Blackrock Creative Director Taryn Southern co-host a discussion with BCI research pioneers Jan Scheuermann, Ian Burkhart, and Nathan Copeland. In part one, we discuss their personal journeys to becoming BCI pioneers, implant experiences with the Utah Array, their time in the lab, and some of their current projects. Learn more about Jan, Ian, and Nathan below and stay tuned for part two, coming in July 2022!

The Panel:

Jan Scheuermann is an author and public speaker, and self-styled “professional lab rat.” She has spoken at DARPA, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, and the National Convention of the ALS Association about her experience as a BCI trial participant at UPitt. She is the author of a fictional mystery novel, Sharp as a Cucumber, available on Amazon. You can find out more about Jan and book her for public speaking events on her website or connect with her on LinkedIn.

Ian Burkhart is the President of the Ian Burkhart Foundation, which provides equipment not typically covered by insurance that improves independence for those with spinal cord injuries. He is also the Vice President of the North American Spinal Cord Injury Consortium, an advocacy organization that brings individuals with lived experience together with researchers to improve research, care, cure, and policy. In addition, Ian consults on medical device development and user interaction. Ian’s latest project is the BCI Pioneers Coalition, a platform to connect BCI users, researchers, industry, and other stakeholder groups to discuss the future of Brain Computer Interfaces. You can visit him on his website or connect with him on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

Nathan Copeland is a neurotechnology consultant, speaker, and digital artist. He has spoken at numerous conventions around the world about his experiences in the lab and has been featured in many prominent publications including, but not limited to, Wired, MIT Tech Review, NPR, Fortune, and the Atlantic. He is the creator of the first BCI NFTs, available on OpenSea. You can connect with Nathan on Instagram, Twitter, and Linkedin.

00:00 | Intro

6:10 | Who came first?

7:07 | Jan Scheuermann

7:18 | Tim Hemmes & the UPitt/UPMC Team

8:05 | New Yorker profile of Jan and the UPitt team

8:55 | View Jan’s photos from the lab

10:10 | Nathan Copeland

13:00 | Parietal Cortex

13:22 | Saccade Movements

14:12 | The Pioneer Experience

16:04 | Neuro Life Study | Additional Reference | Interview with Ian | Archives of PMR

18:15 | Mirror Therapy