A Horizon Scan of Neurotechnology Innovations

Shona Haston (), Sean Gill, Katie Twentyman, Elizabeth Green, Opeyemi Agbeleye, Claire Eastaugh, Dawn Craig, Sonia Garcia Gonzalez-Moral and Andrew Mkwashi
Additional contact information
Shona Haston: National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Innovation Observatory, Population Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
Sean Gill: National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Innovation Observatory, Population Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
Katie Twentyman: National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Innovation Observatory, Population Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
Elizabeth Green: National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Innovation Observatory, Population Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
Opeyemi Agbeleye: National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Innovation Observatory, Population Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
Dawn Craig: National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Innovation Observatory, Population Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
Sonia Garcia Gonzalez-Moral: National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Innovation Observatory, Population Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
Andrew Mkwashi: National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Innovation Observatory, Population Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 5, 1-26

Abstract: Neurotechnology is a rapidly emerging field with vast potential within healthcare, but also has inherent concerns. There is, therefore, a need to ensure the responsible and ethical development and regulation of these technologies. This horizon scan aimed to provide an overview of neurotechnologies in development and those approved by the FDA as of June 2024 for a range of conditions relating to mental health, healthy ageing, and physical disability. Searches of clinical trials, conferences, journals, and news were performed in March 2024. Relevant technologies were identified through a process of screening, data extraction and synthesis. A total of 81 unique neurotechnologies were identified, with 23 relating to mental health, 31 to healthy ageing, and 42 to physical disability. A total of 79% percent did not yet have FDA approval and 77.4% were at earlier stages of development (pilot/feasibility studies), with 22.6% at pivotal or post-market stages. Digital elements were common features of the technologies, including software, apps, and connectivity to other devices; however, there were only three technologies with an identifiable AI component. A complex regulatory landscape and unique ethical and safety concerns associated with neurotechnology could pose challenges to innovators, though the emerging nature of the field also provides an opportunity to pre-emptively address potential issues.

Keywords: neurotechnology; horizon scanning; mental health; healthy ageing; physical disability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/5/811/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/5/811/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:22:y:2025:i:5:p:811-:d:1661052

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().