Matthew MacDougall

Yeah, it's a really simple, really simple, straightforward procedure. The human part of the surgery that I do is... Dead simple. It's one of the most basic neurosurgery procedures imaginable. And I think there's evidence that some version of it has been done for thousands of years. There are examples, I think, from ancient Egypt of healed or partially healed trephinations and from...

Yeah, it's a really simple, really simple, straightforward procedure. The human part of the surgery that I do is... Dead simple. It's one of the most basic neurosurgery procedures imaginable. And I think there's evidence that some version of it has been done for thousands of years. There are examples, I think, from ancient Egypt of healed or partially healed trephinations and from...

Peru or, you know, ancient times in South America, where these proto-surgeons would drill holes in people's skulls, you know, presumably to let out the evil spirits, but maybe to drain blood clots. And there's evidence of bone healing around the edge, meaning the people at least survived some months after a procedure. Yeah. And so what we're doing is that.

Peru or, you know, ancient times in South America, where these proto-surgeons would drill holes in people's skulls, you know, presumably to let out the evil spirits, but maybe to drain blood clots. And there's evidence of bone healing around the edge, meaning the people at least survived some months after a procedure. Yeah. And so what we're doing is that.

Peru or, you know, ancient times in South America, where these proto-surgeons would drill holes in people's skulls, you know, presumably to let out the evil spirits, but maybe to drain blood clots. And there's evidence of bone healing around the edge, meaning the people at least survived some months after a procedure. Yeah. And so what we're doing is that.

We are making a cut in the skin on the top of the head over the area of the brain that is the most potent representation of hand intentions. And so if you are an expert concert pianist, this part of your brain is lighting up the entire time you're playing. We call it the hand knob. The hand knob.

We are making a cut in the skin on the top of the head over the area of the brain that is the most potent representation of hand intentions. And so if you are an expert concert pianist, this part of your brain is lighting up the entire time you're playing. We call it the hand knob. The hand knob.

We are making a cut in the skin on the top of the head over the area of the brain that is the most potent representation of hand intentions. And so if you are an expert concert pianist, this part of your brain is lighting up the entire time you're playing. We call it the hand knob. The hand knob.

there's a little squiggle in the cortex right there. One of the folds in the brain is kind of doubly folded right on that spot. And so you can look at it on an MRI and say, that's the hand knob. And then you, you do a functional test and a special kind of MRI called a functional MRI, fMRI.

there's a little squiggle in the cortex right there. One of the folds in the brain is kind of doubly folded right on that spot. And so you can look at it on an MRI and say, that's the hand knob. And then you, you do a functional test and a special kind of MRI called a functional MRI, fMRI.

there's a little squiggle in the cortex right there. One of the folds in the brain is kind of doubly folded right on that spot. And so you can look at it on an MRI and say, that's the hand knob. And then you, you do a functional test and a special kind of MRI called a functional MRI, fMRI.

And this part of the brain lights up when people, even quadriplegic people whose brains aren't connected to their finger movements anymore, they think, imagine finger movements and this part of the brain still lights up. So we can ID that part of the brain in anyone who's preparing to enter our trial and say, okay, that part of the brain we confirm is your hand intention area.

And this part of the brain lights up when people, even quadriplegic people whose brains aren't connected to their finger movements anymore, they think, imagine finger movements and this part of the brain still lights up. So we can ID that part of the brain in anyone who's preparing to enter our trial and say, okay, that part of the brain we confirm is your hand intention area.

And this part of the brain lights up when people, even quadriplegic people whose brains aren't connected to their finger movements anymore, they think, imagine finger movements and this part of the brain still lights up. So we can ID that part of the brain in anyone who's preparing to enter our trial and say, okay, that part of the brain we confirm is your hand intention area.

And so I'll make a little cut in the skin. We'll flap the skin open, just like kind of opening the hood of a car, only a lot smaller. Make a perfectly round uh one inch diameter hole in the skull remove that bit of skull uh open the lining of the brain the covering of the brain it's like a like a little bag of water that the brain floats in and then show that part of the brain to our robot

And so I'll make a little cut in the skin. We'll flap the skin open, just like kind of opening the hood of a car, only a lot smaller. Make a perfectly round uh one inch diameter hole in the skull remove that bit of skull uh open the lining of the brain the covering of the brain it's like a like a little bag of water that the brain floats in and then show that part of the brain to our robot

And so I'll make a little cut in the skin. We'll flap the skin open, just like kind of opening the hood of a car, only a lot smaller. Make a perfectly round uh one inch diameter hole in the skull remove that bit of skull uh open the lining of the brain the covering of the brain it's like a like a little bag of water that the brain floats in and then show that part of the brain to our robot

And then this is where the robot shines. It can come in and take these tiny, much smaller than human hair electrodes and precisely insert them into the cortex, into the surface of the brain to a very precise depth in a very precise spot that avoids all the blood vessels that are coating the surface of the brain.

And then this is where the robot shines. It can come in and take these tiny, much smaller than human hair electrodes and precisely insert them into the cortex, into the surface of the brain to a very precise depth in a very precise spot that avoids all the blood vessels that are coating the surface of the brain.

And then this is where the robot shines. It can come in and take these tiny, much smaller than human hair electrodes and precisely insert them into the cortex, into the surface of the brain to a very precise depth in a very precise spot that avoids all the blood vessels that are coating the surface of the brain.