Grant: Team Grant: European Research Projects of Neuroscience

Intelligent neuroprostheses represent the next phase in the evolution of devices integrated with the nervous system to assist, replace or alter human sensory, motor, cognitive, and affective functions. These devices include "read out" or output systems that detect, interpret and translate neural signals for various applications such as to allow a paralyzed person to move a robotic arm or cursor. They also include "write in" or input systems that deliver signals or stimulation to the brain, to alter thinking, emotions, and the ability to move, among other things. The technology is increasingly incorporating Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create neuroprostheses that adapt automatically without voluntary user input. The current rate of development of AI-based neurotechnology systems is outpacing ethical reflections and is challenging regulatory systems. The current technological departure lies in the complexity, unpredictability, and psychological impact of the integration of AI with human brains and minds. Such hybrid minds are characterized by mutual adaptation, in which both user and self-learning algorithm change over time to optimize system output. Such interactions become even more intricate when "write-into" devices generate stimuli that directly influence mental contents and cognitive processes of users. Our project attempts to lay the foundations for a unified theoretical approach to the ethical-legal assessment of intelligent neuroprostheses, informed by the experiences and perspectives of users, and in dialogue with the neuroengineering community and other key stakeholders, culminating in the central questions: Which AI-elements should future neuroprostheses incorporate, or rather leave out? What technical design choices or legal/regulatory measures are required? How can we support patients in clinical decision-making to avoid overblown hopes and to know, to borrow Thomas Nagel's famous phrase, "what it's like to have a hybrid mind"?