Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Jacob Robinson @jacobrobinson.bsky.social · Jun 15

Happy Father’s Day to all you fellow Dads out there hatching your master plan…

An acrostic poem from my daughter:
Daddy is
Always
Daring to
Do something and
You don’t always know what he’s planning

Jacob Robinson @jacobrobinson.bsky.social · Apr 6

NIH cuts hurt companies like Motif Neurotech. We are fortunate to have resources for clinical trials, but companies relying on NIH are struggling.

Every day new therapies are delayed, people suffer.

🙏 Dan Gilbert for speaking to us & raising awareness

www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Biotech start-ups struggle as Trump throttles NIH funding

Freezes and reductions in National Institutes of Health funding are reverberating beyond universities and research labs to startups in the biotech industry.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Jacob Robinson @jacobrobinson.bsky.social · Mar 27

Most importantly, I got to use the stage to talk about mental health & how tech can improve something so important but rarely talked about. I'm incredibly grateful for that opportunity, the talented organizers, and the other attendees who shared their time, good humor, and sense of wonder. 🙏 (2/2)

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Jacob Robinson @jacobrobinson.bsky.social · Mar 27

Totally blown away by the experience of presenting at MARS: Fascinating dinners with Jeff Bezos, Ron Howard, wonderful founders, scientists, and folks from Amazon. I even got to fan-boy over my favorite podcasters Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal (who were super kind BTW) (1/2)

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Jacob Robinson @jacobrobinson.bsky.social · Mar 18

Congrats to my 5yo daughter who became an official Texan this weekend! 🤠

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Jacob Robinson @jacobrobinson.bsky.social · Mar 14

Enchanted to meet this article from @dr-shlee.bsky.social, @dougweberlab.bsky.social, and colleagues.

It's Swiftly becoming one of my favorites! 🫶 🫶 🫶

bioelecmed.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....

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Jacob Robinson @jacobrobinson.bsky.social · Feb 1

Looking forward to sharing big news in 2025! 🤫 🤞

Motif Neurotech @motifneuro.bsky.social · Jan 31

We brought the whole team to Houston this week for our 2025 Strategy Summit. The team synergy is palpable and we're so excited for everything ahead of us this year 🧠 🛫

2

Reposted by Jacob Robinson

Motif Neurotech @motifneuro.bsky.social · Jan 31

We brought the whole team to Houston this week for our 2025 Strategy Summit. The team synergy is palpable and we're so excited for everything ahead of us this year 🧠 🛫

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Reposted by Jacob Robinson

Motif Neurotech @motifneuro.bsky.social · Jan 20

We've been selected by @aria-research.bsky.social to develop a network of neural devices designed to monitor and regulate mental and cognitive states without brain surgery. The UK-based program led by @jacquescarolan.bsky.social is contributing £69M to unlock the full potential of #neurotech.

Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA) @aria-research.bsky.social · Jan 20

We’re excited to announce the 18 teams we’re funding in Precision Neurotechnologies 🧠 They’ll work to unlock new ways to interface with the brain at the neural circuit level, with unprecedented precision. (1/3)

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Reposted by Jacob Robinson

Motif Neurotech @motifneuro.bsky.social · Jan 20

We're honored to be selected by @aria-research.bsky.social for a multimillion-dollar award through their Precision Neurotechnologies Program. This funding will accelerate the development of our therapeutic Brain-Computer Interface to treat mood, attention, and sleep disorders 🧠🚀

1 1 5

Reposted by Jacob Robinson

Sumner L. Norman @sumnerln.bsky.social · Jan 11

Hundreds of Caltech and Caltech/Nasa Jet Propulsion Lab scientists, professors, and students have lost their homes in the LA fires.

The Disaster Relief Fund is organized to help. Please share.
giving.caltech.edu/areas-to-sup...

The Caltech and JPL Disaster Relief Fund

giving.caltech.edu

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Reposted by Jacob Robinson

Ritu Raman @rituraman.bsky.social · Jan 8

Teamed up with some of my favorite scientists to imagine the future of #biohybrid devices that combine engineered tissues with bioelectronics. TLDR (but please R), the future is bright! Out now in Nature Reviews Bioengineering:

rdcu.be/d5z6s

@jrivnay.bsky.social
@jacobrobinson.bsky.social

Integrating bioelectronics with cell-based synthetic biology

Nature Reviews Bioengineering - Biohybrid devices based on engineered cells interfaced with bioelectronics combine the strengths of each field, resulting in constructs with properties that are not...

rdcu.be

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Reposted by Jacob Robinson

Jonathan Rivnay @jrivnay.bsky.social · Jan 8

Just out in @natrevbioeng.bsky.social, check out our perspective on integrating bioelectronics with cell-based synthetic biology.
www.nature.com/articles/s44...

Integrating bioelectronics with cell-based synthetic biology - Nature Reviews Bioengineering

Biohybrid devices based on engineered cells interfaced with bioelectronics combine the strengths of each field, resulting in constructs with properties that are not otherwise achievable. In this Revie...

www.nature.com

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Jacob Robinson @jacobrobinson.bsky.social · Jan 8

How you responded to all this is so inspiring. Thanks for sharing the journey! 🙏

3

Jacob Robinson @jacobrobinson.bsky.social · Jan 6

I wanted to share my rationale for our recent comment in Nature BME proposing an application-based taxonomy for BCI (unrolled from LinkedIn):

Why we should consider labeling BCI based on its intended use.

open.substack.com/pub/brainjac...

Inbox | Substack

open.substack.com

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Jacob Robinson @jacobrobinson.bsky.social · Dec 30

I would have no concern. In fact, we wrote:

“Communication and movement BCIs should refer to technologies that are primarily intended to transmit information between the brain and a digital or physical device... This category is synonymous with ‘neural prostheses’ “

Jacob Robinson @jacobrobinson.bsky.social · Dec 26

Beautiful! How would you rate it on a scale of 1=oven 10=offset? Need some data!

Jacob Robinson @jacobrobinson.bsky.social · Dec 23

unpaywalled here! rdcu.be/d4y2u

An application-based taxonomy for brain–computer interfaces

Nature Biomedical Engineering - Naming brain–computer interfaces according to their intended application will assist stakeholders in the evaluation of the benefits and risks of...

rdcu.be

1 3

Jacob Robinson @jacobrobinson.bsky.social · Dec 23

hopefully this can be accessed without paywall: rdcu.be/d4y2u

An application-based taxonomy for brain–computer interfaces

Nature Biomedical Engineering - Naming brain–computer interfaces according to their intended application will assist stakeholders in the evaluation of the benefits and risks of...

rdcu.be

1

Jacob Robinson @jacobrobinson.bsky.social · Dec 23

non-paywalled version here: rdcu.be/d4y2u

An application-based taxonomy for brain–computer interfaces

Nature Biomedical Engineering - Naming brain–computer interfaces according to their intended application will assist stakeholders in the evaluation of the benefits and risks of...

rdcu.be

3

Reposted by Jacob Robinson

Amy Orsborn @neuroamyo.bsky.social · Dec 23

What do we mean when we say BCI? As neuro technologies mature, it's important for scientists to use cohesive language to talk about them with the public. Here's a nice commentary piece where Jacob Robinson and co. lay out a proposal.

Just in time for the holidays 😂

Jacob Robinson @jacobrobinson.bsky.social · Dec 23

What is or isn't a "BCI"?

We argue in Nature BME today that if the tech stimulates or records brain activity AND does computation, it's a BCI.

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

But we still need a way to discuss different types of BCI separately... 🧵

#BCI #BrainComputerInterface

An application-based taxonomy for brain–computer interfaces - Nature Biomedical Engineering

Naming brain–computer interfaces according to their intended application will assist stakeholders in the evaluation of the benefits and risks of neurotechnologies.

www.nature.com

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Jacob Robinson @jacobrobinson.bsky.social · Dec 23

Thanks to a great group of co-authors!
@sumnerln.bsky.social @jonathanamichaels.bsky.social @neuroamyo.bsky.social @chethanp.bsky.social @andpru.bsky.social @crozell.bsky.social @nishalshah.bsky.social @maryamshanechi.bsky.social @erictrautmann.bsky.social and many others not on BSky 🙏

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Jacob Robinson @jacobrobinson.bsky.social · Dec 23

We argue that classifying BCI based on their applications e.g. "movement BCI" or "therapeutic BCI" would allow regulators, scientists, physicians, and patients to discuss specific BCI classes narrowly.

Just in time for your holiday conversation starter - our gift to you!! 🎁

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Jacob Robinson @jacobrobinson.bsky.social · Dec 23

What is or isn't a "BCI"?

We argue in Nature BME today that if the tech stimulates or records brain activity AND does computation, it's a BCI.

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

But we still need a way to discuss different types of BCI separately... 🧵

#BCI #BrainComputerInterface

An application-based taxonomy for brain–computer interfaces - Nature Biomedical Engineering

Naming brain–computer interfaces according to their intended application will assist stakeholders in the evaluation of the benefits and risks of neurotechnologies.

www.nature.com

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Jacob Robinson @jacobrobinson.bsky.social · Dec 14

I won’t say I’m disappointed. But that doesn’t mean I’m not. 💔

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