Brainlab at DLD Health: Advancing precision in Brain-Computer Interface implantation

Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) are among the most promising developments in modern medicine. At the DLD Health Conference in Munich, Brainlab CEO Rainer Birkenbach joined a panel discussion on current advances and future perspectives in invasive BCI implantation. The session was co-hosted and moderated by Prof. Dr. Bernhard Meyer and Prof. Dr. Simon Jacob from the Department of Neurosurgery at TUM Klinikum Rechts der Isar. Who also led the surgical care of patient Michi Mehringer. Michi Mehringer joined the panel to share his personal experience, making both the possibilities and the medical and ethical challenges of this technology tangible for the audience.

Michi Mehringer (26) has been living with quadriplegia for 10 years following a serious motorcycle accident. After a surgical procedure performed by Prof. Dr. Meyer and his team, Michi became the first patient in Europe to control a computer cursor solely through thought. This is made possible by 256 microelectrodes implanted in his brain and AI-based signal processing. His appearance on stage was a powerful example of what is already possible today.

Implanting microelectrodes in the brain demands the highest level of precision, as every millimeter counts in neurosurgery. This is exactly where Brainlab comes in: providing intelligent, precise navigation technology to support every step of the surgical workflow. Together with partner Nexstim, Brainlab also supports preoperative mapping with navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS), helping experienced neurosurgeons precisely identify critical brain surface areas for BCI implantation without a single incision.

More information about the event and recordings of the talks are available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgLpG35gPA8