Gabe Newell’s Secret: Valve CEO’s Neuralink Competitor, Starfish Neuroscience, Set to Unveil Brain Chip This Year
Beyond the realms of Half-Life, DOTA 2, and the ubiquitous Steam platform, Valve CEO Gabe Newell has been quietly venturing into the world of neuroscience. His startup, Starfish Neuroscience, founded in 2019, is poised to release its first brain chip later this year, challenging the established players like Neuralink in the fiercely competitive brain-computer interface (BCI) market. Why should tech enthusiasts care? Because this isn't just about futuristic gadgets; it's about revolutionizing how we interact with technology and potentially treating debilitating neurological disorders.
Starfish Neuroscience's ambition is clear: to create smaller, less invasive, and more versatile brain implants. While details are still emerging, the company's initial blog post, spotted by Valve watcher Brad Lynch, reveals a custom "electrophysiology" chip capable of both recording brain activity and stimulating the brain. Unlike Neuralink's approach, which focuses on interacting with a single brain region, Starfish aims for a "distributed neural interface" allowing simultaneous access to multiple brain regions. This has crucial implications for treating complex neurological disorders like Parkinson's disease, where circuit-level dysfunction between brain regions is a key factor.
Lower power consumption is another significant advantage. Starfish claims its chip consumes just 1.1 milliwatts during normal recording, compared to Neuralink's N1, which uses around 6 milliwatts. This efficiency allows for wireless power transmission, potentially eliminating the need for batteries and frequent charging. These are the currently specs:
Low power: 1.1 mW total power consumption during normal recording
Physically small: 2 x 4mm (0.3mm pitch BGA)
Capable of both recording (spikes and LFP) & stimulation (biphasic pulses)
32 electrode sites, 16 simultaneous recording channels at 18.75kHz
1 current source for stimulating on arbitrary pairs of electrodes
Onboard impedance monitoring and stim voltage transient measurement
Digital onboard data processing and spike detection allows the device to operate via low-bandwidth wireless interfaces.
Fabricated in TSMC 55nm process
While Starfish is initially focused on medical applications, the company's potential impact on gaming and human-computer interaction shouldn't be underestimated. Remember Valve's 2019 GDC talk on brain-computer interfaces? The potential for immersive gaming experiences directly controlled by your thoughts is tantalizing.
Furthermore, Starfish is also exploring a "precision hyperthermia device" for tumor destruction and a TMS system for treating neurological conditions. This demonstrates a broad vision for how BCI technology can address critical healthcare challenges. The company is actively seeking collaborators in areas like wireless power delivery and implanted neural interfaces, signaling its commitment to a collaborative approach.
The BCI landscape is rapidly evolving. Starfish Neuroscience, with its innovative chip design and focus on distributed neural interfaces, is poised to be a major player. Will their focus on less invasive implants give them an edge over Neuralink? Will we see Starfish technology integrated into future Valve products, blurring the lines between reality and virtual worlds? The next few years promise to be transformative.
What are your thoughts on Starfish Neuroscience's approach? Share your opinions and predictions in the comments below!
