A team of researchers at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) in the UK has developed an affordable brainwave-reading device that could give a voice to people in the most advanced stages of Motor Neurone Disease (MND). By interpreting brain signals, the device enables patients who can no longer move or speak to communicate through thought alone. […]
A team of researchers at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) in the UK has developed an affordable brainwave-reading device that could give a voice to people in the most advanced stages of Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
By interpreting brain signals, the device enables patients who can no longer move or speak to communicate through thought alone.
For Professor Amin Al-Habaibeh, an expert in intelligent engineering systems at NTU, this project is more than just research—it’s personal.
His brother-in-law, Naeem Radwan, died of MND at just 38 years old. That loss motivated him to find a way to help others facing the same condition.
L to R: Dr Ahmet Omurtag, project lead Professor Amin Al-Habaibeh, Sharmila Majumdar.
The result is a brainwave reader designed with accessibility in mind. Using off-the-shelf components and a novel artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm, the device allows users to answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ by imagining different scenarios.
For instance, a patient might picture kicking a football to indicate ‘yes’ or being trapped in a room with an elephant for ‘no.’ These mental exercises produce distinct brainwave patterns, which are detected by three electroencephalogram (EEG) sensors attached to the head.
The system amplifies and converts the signals into digital data, which AI interprets and displays as a response.
“This technology allows people in the later stages of MND to communicate vital information when they are unable to even blink,” said Professor Al-Habaibeh.
“It could be used to express comfort levels, request medication, or convey their final wishes.”
Accessibility over profit
High-tech medical devices often come with prohibitive costs, but NTU’s innovation claims to prioritise affordability. The hardware for each unit costs roughly £300, a fraction of what traditional EEG-based communication systems cost.
To ensure wide access, the university is releasing the research under a Creative Commons license, making it freely available to charities, hospices, and families.
With further development, the technology could extend beyond simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ responses. Researchers believe it may be possible to train users to control a cursor on a screen using four different imagined movements—up, down, left, and right. There is also potential for applications in mental health, such as monitoring stress levels.
PhD researcher Sharmila Majumdar, who worked on the project, emphasised its impact: “This technology has the potential to help people communicate in their most vulnerable moments. We are proud to have made this research freely available to support those with MND.”
Who else is working on brain-computer interface technology?
NTU’s brainwave reader is part of a growing movement to use brain-computer interface (BCI) technology to assist those with severe disabilities. Companies such as Neuralink, founded by Elon Musk, and Synchron, are exploring high-tech brain implants to restore communication and mobility for people with paralysis.
Elsewhere, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, have developed brain implants that translate neural activity into text with remarkable accuracy.
In Switzerland, researchers at the Wyss Center for Bio and Neuroengineering have developed a non-invasive BCI that allows patients with locked-in syndrome to answer yes/no questions using brain activity alone.
Similarly, a team at the University of Cambridge is working on AI-driven neuro-prosthetics that can reconstruct silent speech by detecting subtle neural signals from the brain’s speech centres.
What sets NTU’s work apart, it claims, is its simplicity and cost-effectiveness. While many BCI solutions involve invasive implants and expensive equipment, this device offers an accessible alternative for families and caregivers who need a practical solution today.
