IISc and Pratiksha Trust launch moonshot project on brain co-processors

IISc and Pratiksha Trust launch a groundbreaking project to develop AI-powered brain co-processors for stroke rehabilitation.

The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) on March 4 launched a moonshot project to develop brain co-processors that combine neuromorphic hardware and AI algorithms to enhance or restore brain function.

The project is funded by the Pratiksha Trust, founded by Senapathy ‘Kris’ Gopalakrishnan and Sudha Gopalakrishnan.

“India is emerging as a global leader in neuroscience by uniting foundational research with clinical applications through collaborative, international partnerships. Supported significantly by the Pratiksha Trust, the Brain Co-Processors Moonshot Project accelerates the development of innovative medical technologies. Ultimately, these innovations aim to provide world-class transformative neurological treatments to the global population,” said Mr. Gopalakrishnan.

The moonshot project is a multidisciplinary endeavour that evolved from a pilot project seeded by IISc’s Brain, Computation and Data Science initiative — a cross-departmental programme involving more than 20 faculty members — which is also supported by the Pratiksha Trust.

The primary goal of the moonshot project is to develop both implantable and non-invasive brain co-processors that can decode brain activity from neural recordings, process it with an AI algorithm, and re-encode signals back into the brain via neural stimulation or neurofeedback.

Such co-processors will be deployed towards cognitive rehabilitation of stroke survivors, to restore critical functions such as goal-directed reach and grasp abilities.