BCI Atlas

Science Corporation’s BCI work with an emphasis on its biohybrid neural interface concept (neurons-as-the-interface), plus its PRIMA retinal prosthesis program.

Company — American

Science Corporation (company brief)

Official site → Alameda, CA, USA

BCI · biohybrid · neural interface · Science Corporation · PRIMA · retinal prosthesis

Science Corporation is building neurotechnology with an unusually explicit thesis: if electrodes don’t scale because they damage tissue, try scaling with biology.

They are best known publicly for two efforts:

  1. PRIMA, a subretinal photovoltaic visual prosthesis program in clinical studies.
  2. A biohybrid brain interface concept where living neurons are embedded in a device and then engrafted so that their axons/dendrites grow into the brain, potentially creating enormous connection density without “putting wires into a brain.”

Corbin asked for extra emphasis on the biohybrid work, so that’s the center of this brief.

At a glance

The big idea: biohybrid neural interfaces (neurons as the interface)

The scaling bottleneck they’re attacking

Science’s biohybrid writeup frames a core constraint in invasive BCI as a scaling law: to get physically close to neurons, you destroy some brain tissue, and that becomes an ugly trade when you try to scale to very large numbers of “channels.”

What they mean by “biohybrid”

In Science’s version, the cell/device interface is created in vitro:

  • Stem cell–derived neurons are engineered and embedded in an electronic device in the lab.

  • The device is implanted so that only the processes (axons/dendrites) grow out into the brain.

  • The cell bodies stay with the device, which they argue helps with SNR, power, and enables new types of stimulation concepts (e.g., neuron types / synaptic chemistry).

  • Science’s essay (high-level concept): https://science.xyz/news/biohybrid-neural-interfaces/

“Channels” vs synapses (why they think this could be different)

Science pushes a reframing: don’t count electrodes; count potential synapses.

On their biohybrid tech page, they argue (conceptually) that:

  • neurons are denser than electrodes

  • each neuron can form many connections

  • “a million embedded neurons could form a billion synapses” with brain tissue

  • Science biohybrid technology page: https://science.xyz/technologies/biohybrid/

They cite a scaling dataset as context:

Proof-of-concept: optogenetic stimulation via an engrafted cortical “waffle” (mouse study)

Science released an early feasibility result showing that a cortical biohybrid implant can transmit information into the brain strongly enough to shape behavior.

Core design (as described in both Science’s post and IEEE Spectrum’s coverage):

  • a waffle-like scaffold of microwells placed on the cortical surface
  • neurons are loaded into microwells (aiming for ~one neuron per well)
  • neurons survive and extend into superficial cortex
  • optical stimulation (“turning on” graft neurons) can be used as a cue that mice learn to report

Primary source:

Independent coverage with helpful engineering details:

The hard problems (they openly acknowledge)

Science’s own essay is refreshingly explicit that biohybrid BCIs are low “technology readiness” and require solving tough bioengineering:

  • immune compatibility (autologous vs allogeneic, “hypoimmunogenic” lines)

  • keeping graft cells alive through hypoxia, glycemic shock, and host responses

  • device design that supports neuron survival (including glial support)

  • Science essay (technical challenges): https://science.xyz/news/biohybrid-neural-interfaces/

What else they’re building: PRIMA visual prosthesis (clinical program)

Science’s most advanced clinical program appears to be PRIMA, a subretinal implant intended to stimulate remaining retinal circuitry when photoreceptors are lost in advanced retinal degeneration.

Science describes PRIMA as:

  • a light-powered subretinal implant with 378 pixels

  • paired with glasses containing an infrared projector + camera that provide both power and data via patterned IR light

  • being evaluated in clinical studies (Europe and US trials listed)

  • PRIMA overview page: https://science.xyz/technologies/prima/

The PRIMA page also links peer-reviewed and trial references (e.g., PubMed-linked items and NCT IDs).

My read (why it’s exciting)

Science’s biohybrid pitch is one of the few that feels like it’s attacking the geometry and biology of the interface, not just the electronics:

  • If you can get stable, high-density connectivity via living processes, you potentially change the scaling laws.
  • It also makes the interface problem less like “a bundle of wires” and more like “a grafted microcircuit,” which could open novel stimulation/learning paradigms.

But the credibility hinge is the same as always: can they make it reliable, safe, manufacturable, and ultimately clinically supportable?

Notes on sourcing

  • Biohybrid concept details are anchored primarily in Science’s own technical writeups and their bioRxiv preprint, with IEEE Spectrum as independent synthesis.
  • Company location/footprint is taken from Science’s company page.