Cooperation to develop AI-supported neural interfaces for people with disabilities | Insurance business America
How can AI help people with disabilities?
Insurance News
By Jonalyn Cueto
Allianz Trade has announced a partnership with Inclusive Brains, a French startup focused on generative artificial intelligence (AI) and brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), to develop Prometheus – a new brain-machine interface. According to a press release, this technology aims to improve the lives of people with disabilities by allowing them to control digital environments and operate devices without using their hands or voice.
Prometheus was designed to translate neurophysiological data – such as brain waves, heart activity, facial expressions and eye movements – into mental commands. This technology holds promise for people who have lost their mobility or the ability to speak, offering them a new way to engage with the world. It can potentially be used to control workstations, navigate digital environments and operate connected objects, offering greater autonomy to people with physical limitations.
AI and neurotechnology for inclusion
Inclusive Brains, founded in 2022 by neuroscientist Olivier Oullier and AI expert Paul Barbaste, developed Prometheus to help people who have lost mobility due to accidents or neurodegenerative diseases. The company’s mission is to improve inclusivity by combining generative AI with BCIs. “True inclusion means developing solutions that help each and every one of us, without any discrimination,” said Oullier, CEO of Inclusive Brains.
Already proven in usability tests, Prometheus allows users to control an exoskeleton arm using brain signals, facial expressions or other neurophysiological cues. These tests were conducted with organizations that support people with cognitive disabilities and paralysis.
Through the partnership, Allianz Trade will provide resources for the Prometheus project and provide financial, strategic and logistical support.
“We are proud to partner with Inclusive Brains to leverage AI and neurotechnology for positive social impact,” said Aylin Somersan Coqui, CEO of Allianz Trade. “Inclusion is a core value at Allianz Trade. We believe in the power of innovation to support this.”
Coqui noted that Allianz Trade’s support will enable Inclusive Brains to advance research and development of the Prometheus BCI, acquire physiological sensors, and provide exoskeleton arms to nonprofit organizations that support people with paralysis. In addition, the company would like to open source the Prometheus AI model and thus promote the further development of supporting technologies.
Prometheus will be performed publicly during the upcoming Olympic torch relay. A torchbearer with a motor disability will use the technology to control an exoskeleton arm, demonstrating the potential of AI-powered assistive technologies. The press release states that this event aims to raise awareness of the importance of supporting academic and industry efforts to improve inclusion in the workplace and beyond.
Looking into the future
The partnership between Allianz Trade and Inclusive Brains is designed to create sustainable impact through the development of technologies that promote inclusion and accessibility. The collaboration also envisions other specific use cases, such as mind-controlled keyboards and AI applications to improve workplace safety. “We believe that generative AI combined with state-of-the-art neural interfaces will accelerate the integration of people with disabilities and benefit everyone equally,” said Coqui.
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2024-05-07 19:24:13
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