Neuroprosthetics and Cognitive Enhancement:
Description: Neuroprosthetics replace or enhance brain functions, such as memory or sensory processing, using digital implants or external devices. This path extends beyond BCIs to restore or augment cognitive abilities.
Progress:
Cochlear implants and retinal prostheses have restored sensory functions for thousands (e.g., ~600,000 cochlear implant users globally by 2023).
Experimental memory prosthetics, like those at DARPA’s RESTORE program, aim to enhance recall by stimulating the hippocampus, with early trials showing 20–30% memory improvement in small cohorts.
Metrics: Success is gauged by functional restoration rates, cognitive enhancement percentages, and patient quality-of-life metrics (e.g., SF-36 scores).