Research and Innovation

Connecting the human brain to a machine

Brain-computer interfaces promise to increase the potential of the human brain. But we cannot explore this new technological field without a strong ethical framework.

A direct connection to the human brain

Advances in neuroscience over the past twenty years have enabled us not only to better understand the human brain, but also to envision new technologies that promise to increase brain potential.

These include direct brain-computer interfaces that enable certain areas of the brain to be connected to a machine. The opportunities for innovation are staggering, but so are the ethical questions that they raise, which means that we must proceed with caution, and respect the rules of bioethics.

Daria La Rocca at the Thales Research & Technology (TRT) laboratory in Palaiseau © Thomas Behuret. Thales

No innovation without ethics

Daria La Rocca is a research engineer in the Data Science team at the ThereSIS Lab.

“In a field that affects the most personal thing that human beings possess, such technologies connecting the human brain to a machine cannot be developed without an irreproachable ethical framework. For this reason, the “ethical design” approach to which Thales is committed in the development of its applications is of paramount importance.”

With technology developing so quickly, it is vital that the legal framework keep pace.

Johan de Heer - Segment Manager, Brain Computer Interfaces, at Key Technology Domain Systems

Research & innovation

Balancing opportunuity and caution

BCIs are no longer a science fiction dream - they have real potential to transform our lives in fields ranging from medicine and healthcare to critical decision making.

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Systems will work together with their operator in a human-machine team, where the machine will know the cognitive state of their operator in order to assist and support them in their decision-making and help in their well-being.