Summary of Key Points
Gestala has secured a $420 million angel round of financing. Founder Peng Lei has abandoned his five-year research on electrical brain-computer interfaces and shifted to the field of ultrasonic brain-computer interfaces. He believes that ultrasonic technology can cover the entire brain network, holds greater clinical value, and has strong potential for integration with artificial intelligence (AI). The company plans to initially target chronic pain in its commercialization efforts, with the long-term goal of becoming a platform-based technology that can address a variety of medical conditions. The gap between China and the United States in the field of ultrasonic brain-computer interfaces is relatively small, and China has the opportunity to take the lead due to its efficiency and clinical resources. Gestala’s entrepreneurial approach emphasizes a closed loop involving research, engineering, and clinical applications, rather than simply relying on the transformation of academic研究成果.
Detailed Analysis
1. Why Abandon Electrical Interfaces for Ultrasonic Technology?
Peng Lei’s decision to move from electrical brain-computer interfaces (such as Neuralink’s electrode implants) to ultrasonic technology is based on three compelling reasons:
- The Whole Matters More Than the Parts: Electrical interfaces can only record information from a few hundred neurons out of the 86 billion in the human brain, covering just 0.13% of the cerebral cortex—this is like observing only a few traffic lights in a city. Ultrasonic technology, on the other hand, can cover 25% of the brain’s volume, analogous to examining the entire urban transportation network, which aligns with Gestalt psychology’s principle that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This allows for the study of higher-level brain functions such as memory and emotions.
- Larger Clinical Market Potential: Electrical interfaces are primarily used for patients with conditions like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and paraplegia, which means the market is relatively small. Ultrasonic technology does not require craniotomy and is more readily accepted by patients; it can be used to treat chronic pain, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and other conditions with massive market potential. For example, the chronic pain market alone is worth billions of dollars in the United States, and ultrasonic therapy could also help address the issue of opioid abuse.
- AI Can Compensate for Ultrasonic Limitations: While some argue that ultrasonic signals (related to blood flow) have a delay of about one second compared to electrical signals, Peng Lei believes that AI can “translate” this relationship, reducing the delay to half a second or even less. In the future, multi-modal models that integrate data from blood flow, electrical signals, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could be developed, enabling mutual inspiration between AI and brain science.
2. The First Step Towards Commercialization: Chronic Pain
Gestala’s first product is aimed at chronic pain for several reasons:
- High Market Demand: Chronic pain, including postherpetic neuralgia and cancer pain, affects many patients in the United States, who often rely on opioid medications, leading to significant health issues. Non-invasive ultrasonic therapy offers a promising new solution.
- Proven Technology: Preclinical trials in the U.S. have shown that ultrasonic stimulation of the anterior cingulate cortex can reduce pain by 50%, with effects lasting 1–2 weeks.
- Potential for Broad Application: Pain is just the starting point; the technology could be extended to treat conditions such as anxiety, depression, and autism, all of which are associated with abnormal brain networks. Ultrasonic therapy has the potential to precisely target these disorders.
The company is simultaneously advancing research, production, and clinical trials. It has built its own factory to meet regulatory requirements and is collaborating with top hospitals in Shanghai and Chengdu. Clinical trials in China are scheduled to begin by the end of this year, with the goal of obtaining the first regulatory approval next year.
3. AI as a Critical Enabler for Ultrasonic Brain-Computer Interfaces
Peng Lei emphasizes that 60% of Gestala’s focus is on brain-computer interfaces and 40% on AI for scientific research. The main roles of AI include:
- Overcoming Signal Delays: By learning the relationship between blood flow and neural activity, AI can reduce the response delay from one second to half a second.
- Building Brain Science Models: By integrating data from various sources (blood flow, electrical signals, MRI), AI acts as a bridge between silicon-based (AI) and carbon-based (human brain) intelligence, helping to understand how the brain functions.
- Personalized Treatment: Since everyone’s brain structure and disease conditions are unique, AI can generate customized treatment plans based on patient data, such as determining the appropriate intensity and location of ultrasonic stimulation.
4. China and the United States in the Ultrasonic Brain-Computer Interface Field
China is four years behind the U.S. in the development of electrical brain-computer interfaces, but the gap in ultrasonic technology is only one and a half years:
- China’s Advantages:
- Efficiency: Neuralink took seven years to obtain clinical approval; Gestala aims to get regulatory approval in two years (using a faster non-invasive approach).
- Abundant Clinical Resources: China has a large patient population and close cooperation with hospitals, which facilitates rapid data collection.
- Positive Regulatory Cooperation: Medical authorities are proactive in communicating and helping to resolve research challenges, accelerating the approval process.
- Reasons for Confidence: Even former clinical leaders from Neuralink have joined Gestala, indicating that China may catch up or even surpass the U.S. in terms of clinical progress within the next two years.
5. The Future of Entrepreneurship: Integrating Research, Engineering, and Clinical Applications
Peng Lei notes that while previous startups focused on transforming technology into products, the brain-computer interface field requires a different approach:
- Companies Should Act as Research Institutions: Universities often lack the necessary computing power, data, and clinical scenarios for breakthroughs. Gestala’s team of 29 people consists of one-third scientists (publishing in top journals), one-third engineers (developing equipment), and one-third support staff, creating a closed loop that facilitates research, engineering, and clinical applications.
- The Real Barriers: The key to success lies in data and understanding. Hardware is not the biggest challenge; the real challenge is identifying which brain regions are affected by certain diseases and determining the most effective parameters for treatment. Companies with more clinical data will have a competitive advantage.
This news highlights a trend: brain-computer interfaces are moving from invasive, limited-scale applications to non-invasive, whole-brain approaches, with ultrasonic technology playing a pivotal role. For the first time, China has the opportunity to compete on an equal footing with global leaders in this emerging field. In the future, people may no longer need medication; ultrasonic therapy could be used to treat conditions like depression and chronic pain—a reality that is not far off.