Battelle Memorial Institute is slowly building an IP portfolio in the AI Biotech/Diagnostic Sector. This past week, the Ohio-based nonprofit had its second application in the neurology sector publish. The application (U.S. Pat. No. 20200282223) teaches a method that utilizes a multichannel simulator and decoder to apply stimulation pulses to the brain. While some neuromodulation technology is used for treating disorders, this one appears to be more relevant to brain-computer interface (BCI). BCI technology is defined as the "direct communication pathway between an enhanced or wired brain and an external device." Battelle's last application to publish (U.S. Pat. No. 20200206503) in the AI Biotech/Diagnostic sector also involved BCI technology, specifically for individuals who suffered traumatic spinal cord injuries. This suggests that Battelle is actively developing technology for injured or paralyzed patients to regain control of their bodies using BCI, and plans to develop technologies using neuromodulation.

Although neuromodulation is a relatively new field of science, there are plenty of other companies in the sector. The largest competitor is Halo Neuro, who has 12 patents and 15 applications. Other competitors such as Neuralink, Neurophet, and Elira Inc. have also recently had either patents or applications publish in the sector. While no one has built a portfolio the size of Halo Neuro's yet, it is likely that we will see the competitors in the sector begin to add more patents and applications to their portfolios in an effort to surpass each other. Make sure to subscribe to the Magic Number® AI Biotech/Diagnostic Patent Forecast® to follow Battelle's progression and stay up to date with the most recent neuromodulation patent activity.