JD Krasnick ’25, the fourth and final 2024 Lilley Fellow, shared his extensive research and findings about Brain Computer Interfaces (BCIs) with the Upper School community on Friday, Jan. 24, during a presentation in the Class of 1944 Chapel.
But to fully grasp JD’s interest in Brain Computer Interfaces—especially in the “life-changing uses of the machines”—one must first understand what BCIs do.
“BCIs contain physical components to read brain signals, which is typically achieved through electrodes placed on the surface of the head or implanted in the brain,” JD explained. “These electrodes then read and record electrical signals emitted by the brain… when the user thinks, moves, or speaks. Artificial Intelligence (AI) models then decode the data into readable output, allowing researchers to make use of signals directly from the brain.”
Primarily used in a research setting in the fields of robotics, physical rehabilitation, and medical neuroscience, BCIs “grant unprecedented abilities to severely impaired and limited patients,” JD said, including the ability to control prosthetic limbs, conduct neurofeedback therapy to lessen the burden of neurological disorders, and find new methods to communicate.
During his fellowship, JD sought to take inspiration from the work of these researchers and continue exploring the physical rehabilitative uses of the machine, in which a BCI is used to “translate brain signals from those who have lost muscle, ligament, or nerve capabilities and are completely unable to move a part of their body.”
He began by interviewing BCI expert Dr. Iahn Cajigas, a University of Pennsylvania researcher. “As an active researcher within the field, Dr. Cajigas believes his technologies will benefit a small but important subset of society that suffers from rare diseases that target the motor system and cannot be solved with traditional tools,” JD said. “What I found most interesting was his confidence in the very near future of BCI, and how, in a few short years, hospitals will begin the clinical usage of BCI’s as a rehabilitative or enabling machine.”
With additional context about the uses and future of BCIs, JD began to develop his own personal BCI, which consisted of a robotic arm, Raspberry Pi computer, and AI. “The robotic arm would represent the output of the BCI, the Raspberry Pi was used to intake the electrical signals from my brain, and the AI would translate these signals into readable output,” he said.
For the first component of his machine—the robotic arm—JD 3D printed a series of parts before “assembling them in conjunction with motors embedded in the arm, and wiring it to give the arm functionality.” Next, he assembled the “feature extraction component” of his BCI, a Raspberry Pi computer with a BCI attachment and a set of 8 electrodes. “The BCI attachment was attached to the PI, allowing the processing of brain waves, and the eight electrodes were placed in specific positions on my head,” JD explained. “The electrodes listened to electrical signals created by the brain sending commands to parts of the body and sent them back to the Raspberry PI.” Finally, he adopted an AI to translate the signals into output that he could manipulate.
“To control the robot, the BCI measured the electrical output of my brain through electrodes placed near the frontal region of my brain, which could be loosely controlled with blinking signals,” he said before showing a demonstration of his robot in action.
“Despite constant advancements in the growing field of Brain Computer Interfaces, there is still much work to be done,” JD concluded. “The potential to change lives with these devices is staggering, and as AI technology, neuroscience research, and precise biomedical devices increase their capabilities, these aspirations may become a reality. I am hopeful for the future of Brain Computer Interfaces and look forward to seeing their transformative impact on the world around us.”
Mr. Matt Memmo, Hon. was JD’s fellowship advisor.
Established in 2018 by Mr. and Mrs. William Lilley III ’55, the Lilley Fellowship Fund awards research fellowships to students who exemplify academic curiosity, intellectual rigor, and scholarly passion. The Fellowship program is overseen by Director of Libraries Lorie Harding and is modeled after Yale University's Scholars of the House program that ran from 1945-1995.