According to Bloomberg, the California-based startup Kernel is preparing to launch brainwave-reading helmets called Flux at a price of $50,000, which can analyze and record the brainwave patterns of the wearer in real-time.
Brainwave reading technology has been developed by humans for a long time, but to date, most devices of this kind are still in experimental stages. The first product from Kernel’s lab is valued at $110 million and comes with many specialized equipment to meet the needs of researchers.
Close-up of the brainwave-reading helmet called Kernel Flux.
Kernel hopes to reduce the cost of this technology by commercializing it, and a more compact device will also benefit both scientists and volunteers in research studies.
Currently, Kernel has two products. One is the brainwave reading platform Flow, which can measure “the speed of neural activity in real-time,” as well as “identify the precise operational patterns of the brain,” all through a USB-C connection to a computer. The second product is the one featured in the cover image, called Flux, which allows scientists to access “the complex activities of the brain, generating basic human functions such as stimulation, emotion, attention, memory, and learning.” In other words, to some extent, Kernel Flux can read human thoughts.
Kernel is not the only entity researching how to read human brainwaves. Elon Musk’s startup Neuralink and Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook are also exploring ways to turn virtual reality devices into tools capable of reading users through brainwaves. According to Bloomberg, Kernel’s helmet, priced at over a billion VND, enables researchers to collect data to study the aging process of the brain, mental disorders, strokes, or even the effects of stimulants on the human brain.
The Kernel Flow helmet uses laser beams to penetrate the skull to record brainwaves, while Elon Musk’s Neuralink requires implanting a chip into the human brain. The helmet is less invasive to the human body, but of course, its accuracy is lower and more susceptible to electromagnetic interference.
