How neurotech is turning science fiction into lived reality
Neurotechnology, from brain implants that restore speech to devices that help paralysed people walk, has made dramatic advances, prompting hopes as well as ethical alarm.
Some experts now say neurotechnology could be as revolutionary as AI, as devices advance rapidly from sci-fi tropes into practical reality. Researchers can already translate thoughts into words through brain implants, and spinal implants are helping people with paralysis regain movement.
King’s College London neuroscientist Anne Vanhoestenberghe told AFP, ‘People do not realise how much we’re already living in science fiction.’
Her lab works on implants for both brain and spinal systems, not just restoring function, but reimagining communication.
At the same time, the technology carries profound ethical risks. There is growing unease about privacy, data ownership and the potential misuse of neural data.
Some even warn that our ‘innermost thoughts are under threat.’ Institutions like UNESCO are already moving to establish global neurotech governance frameworks.
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