Students from across Greater Boston gathered at a Microsoft research center in Cambridge for the Brain Storm BCI Hackathon, a two-day event that brought together 88 students to explore the future of brain-computer interface technology.
The hackathon, hosted by Precision Neuroscience, a company working on technology to help people with paralysis control devices using brain signals, provided students with hands-on experience in building new tools at the intersection of BCI, artificial intelligence, signal processing, and healthcare innovation.
The event was designed to spark interest in neuroscience and invest in the field's future leaders. "Expertise is critical to success in BCI," said Molly Lucas, a senior manager of machine learning at Precision. "As you start the hackathon, try and take a step back and think about the big picture of the system, find teammates that see the world differently from you and use that as a way to elevate your collective ideas."
Participants were divided into three competition tracks, each designed to reflect real challenges Precision faces in developing BCI technology. The first track challenged teams to build a computer model that interprets brain signals, while the second focused on creating a demo app to help a surgeon place a small brain implant accurately.
To make the experience as authentic as possible, teams worked with real neural data from animals, Joel Greengrass, Chief People's Officer at Precision, said. Each track awarded first- and second-place winners, with first-place teams receiving $1,000 and second-place teams $500.
Many students saw the hackathon as an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a field that can feel difficult to access. A.J. Shulman, a junior at Brown University studying computer science and neuroscience, said the event allowed students to make meaningful progress in a short period of time. Elinor Rosen, a Tufts University senior studying computer science and engineering psychology, was drawn by how closely the event aligned with her academic interests.
The hackathon also provided an opportunity for Northeastern University sophomores Raymond Cheung and Andrew Liew — both computer science majors — to explore an emerging field firsthand. They won track three with another Northeastern student, Mukhilkanna Balakumar.
Networking was one of the group’s primary goals, Wang said, along with gaining experience working with a new type of data. For BU's Grand Lab team, the condensed format made the experience especially valuable. "The fun thing about these is that you get a really concentrated time period to play with a new kind of data or learn a new kind of skill really quickly," Adam Smoulder said.
As students and researchers alike explored the possibilities of brain-computer interfaces, it became clear that this hackathon marked an important milestone in the development of a field that has the potential to revolutionize healthcare.
The hackathon, hosted by Precision Neuroscience, a company working on technology to help people with paralysis control devices using brain signals, provided students with hands-on experience in building new tools at the intersection of BCI, artificial intelligence, signal processing, and healthcare innovation.
The event was designed to spark interest in neuroscience and invest in the field's future leaders. "Expertise is critical to success in BCI," said Molly Lucas, a senior manager of machine learning at Precision. "As you start the hackathon, try and take a step back and think about the big picture of the system, find teammates that see the world differently from you and use that as a way to elevate your collective ideas."
Participants were divided into three competition tracks, each designed to reflect real challenges Precision faces in developing BCI technology. The first track challenged teams to build a computer model that interprets brain signals, while the second focused on creating a demo app to help a surgeon place a small brain implant accurately.
To make the experience as authentic as possible, teams worked with real neural data from animals, Joel Greengrass, Chief People's Officer at Precision, said. Each track awarded first- and second-place winners, with first-place teams receiving $1,000 and second-place teams $500.
Many students saw the hackathon as an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a field that can feel difficult to access. A.J. Shulman, a junior at Brown University studying computer science and neuroscience, said the event allowed students to make meaningful progress in a short period of time. Elinor Rosen, a Tufts University senior studying computer science and engineering psychology, was drawn by how closely the event aligned with her academic interests.
The hackathon also provided an opportunity for Northeastern University sophomores Raymond Cheung and Andrew Liew — both computer science majors — to explore an emerging field firsthand. They won track three with another Northeastern student, Mukhilkanna Balakumar.
Networking was one of the group’s primary goals, Wang said, along with gaining experience working with a new type of data. For BU's Grand Lab team, the condensed format made the experience especially valuable. "The fun thing about these is that you get a really concentrated time period to play with a new kind of data or learn a new kind of skill really quickly," Adam Smoulder said.
As students and researchers alike explored the possibilities of brain-computer interfaces, it became clear that this hackathon marked an important milestone in the development of a field that has the potential to revolutionize healthcare.
This BCI hackathon is so cool! They're bringing together students from all over Boston to work on tech that can help people with paralysis control devices using brain signals 
. It's like, whoa, the future of healthcare is looking bright 
. I'm loving how they're trying to make it more real by giving them actual neural data from animals 
. And the fact that students can win prizes and get hands-on experience in a field that feels kinda hard to break into is super awesome 
. This hackathon might just be the thing that sparks some serious innovation 
, and its awesome that events like this hackathon are bringing together people from all over to work on it. I mean who would've thought that one day we'd have a bunch of college kids in Cambridge working with real neural data 
, where people can control devices with just their thoughts! 
. I'm sure it'll be a game-changer for people with paralysis or other conditions that affect motor skills. The idea of teams collaborating and elevating each other's ideas is also really inspiring 
. Can't wait to see the progress these students make in this field! 
I'm so stoked to see all these young minds coming together to work on something that could literally change people's lives! The fact that they got to play with real neural data from animals? Mind blown 
. I'm loving how this hackathon is setting the stage for the next gen of BCI experts who'll help make a real difference in healthcare 
.
. This Brain Storm BCI Hackathon feels like a breath of fresh air, allowing these young minds to dive into cutting-edge fields and collaborate with top-notch researchers 
. Can't wait to see what the future holds for BCI tech and Precision Neuroscience - they're literally changing lives with this stuff 
. The fact that they got to work with real neural data from animals? 