INBRAIN Neuroelectronics Completes MINIGRAPH Project, Advancing Graphene-Based Brain-Computer Interfaces and Robotic Neural Implantation
INBRAIN Neuroelectronics, a clinical-stage neurotechnology company developing graphene-based brain-computer interface (BCI) therapeutics, has announced the successful completion and results of MINIGRAPH, a European Innovation Council (EIC)-funded research and development project focused on creating a new generation of minimally invasive neural interfaces and implantation technologies.
The MINIGRAPH project, formally titled Minimally Invasive Neuromodulation Implant and implantation procedure based on ground-breaking GRAPHene technology for treating brain disorders, brought together advances in nanomaterials, neural engineering, implantable electronics, robotics, software and neuroscience. The objective was to develop an integrated platform capable of supporting more precise and potentially scalable implantation of advanced brain-computer interface technologies.
Parkinson’s disease (PD) served as the initial clinical application for the project. Although deep brain stimulation (DBS) is already an established treatment for Parkinson’s disease, MINIGRAPH was designed around the requirements of future autonomous neurotherapeutics. Such systems will need to do more than deliver predefined electrical stimulation. They will need to continuously capture neural activity, interpret disease-relevant signals and adjust neuromodulation in response to an individual patient’s neural state.
To address these requirements, the MINIGRAPH consortium developed ultra-thin graphene neural interfaces, implantable electronics, autonomous software and a minimally invasive robotic implantation procedure. The technologies were developed as interconnected components of a potential therapeutic system rather than as isolated devices.
INBRAIN led the clinical translation of the technology, while the consortium was coordinated by ICN2 – Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. Other participating organizations included imec, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), ETH Zurich, Nanoflex Robotics and Palacký University Olomouc.
The successful completion of MINIGRAPH represents an important step in INBRAIN’s broader effort to advance graphene-based neurotechnology toward precision therapies for neurological disorders.
Integrating the Components of a Next-Generation BCI
One of the central challenges in developing implantable BCIs is that clinical performance depends on the interaction of multiple technologies. Neural electrodes must be capable of recording high-quality signals over long periods, implantable electronics must process and transmit those signals, software must interpret relevant neural patterns, and the implant itself must be positioned accurately within the brain.
MINIGRAPH sought to address these challenges through an integrated approach.
The consortium developed epicortical and subcortical graphene neural probes, advanced implantable electronics capable of interfacing with those probes, software and signal-processing systems for autonomous neuromodulation, and a robotic procedure intended to make implantation more precise and reproducible.
The resulting integrated implantable prototype was functionally validated in a translational model, demonstrating how the different technological components could work together as a unified neuroelectronic therapeutic platform.
The long-term objective is to develop systems capable of continuously monitoring neural activity and using that information to provide targeted neuromodulation tailored to the patient.
Jose A. Garrido, Ph.D., co-founder and chief scientific officer of INBRAIN, said the future scalability of BCI technologies will depend not only on manufacturing sophisticated neural devices but also on the development of precise and reproducible implantation methods.
According to Garrido, MINIGRAPH brought neural interfaces, intelligent electronics, autonomous software and robotics together into a single integrated system. He said the project could help establish the technological foundation for autonomous neurotherapeutics capable of decoding neural activity and delivering precise neuromodulation to a broader patient population.
Graphene Designed to Move Neural Interfaces Beyond Conventional Metals
A major area of MINIGRAPH’s work was the development and evaluation of graphene-based neural interfaces.
Traditional neural electrodes have generally relied on established conductive materials, including metals. While these technologies have enabled significant advances in neurostimulation and neural recording, researchers continue to investigate materials that could offer improved flexibility, miniaturization and long-term interaction with neural tissue.
Graphene has attracted interest in neurotechnology because of its electrical and material properties, including its ability to support thin, flexible neural interfaces.
At the center of MINIGRAPH was INBRAIN’s proprietary graphene-based thin-film neural electrode technology. The technology provided the foundation for both cortical and subcortical neural probes developed through the project.
As part of the research, the consortium generated data supporting more than 10 years of projected stability based on accelerated ageing tests. Functional performance was also demonstrated through laboratory and preclinical studies.
Long-term stability is a particularly important consideration for implantable neural interfaces. Devices intended for chronic use must maintain their functional characteristics while remaining compatible with the surrounding biological environment. Any degradation of the electrode or changes in its interface with neural tissue could potentially affect signal quality or therapeutic performance.
The MINIGRAPH program therefore included extensive toxicity and biocompatibility investigations at cellular and molecular levels as part of the safety evaluation of the graphene-based neural technologies.
The work provides a foundation for further development of graphene neural interfaces intended for chronic implantation and therapeutic applications.
Robotic Implantation Designed for Greater Precision
Another major component of MINIGRAPH was the development of a new robotic approach for implanting ultra-thin neural interfaces.
Nanoflex Robotics and ETH Zurich led development of the robotic implantation system using remote magnetic navigation. The partners contributed an electromagnetic Robotic Interventional System and developed the associated human-machine interface.
The goal was to create a minimally invasive procedure capable of delivering ultra-thin cortical and subcortical neural probes along precise trajectories.
The consortium adapted a magnetic carrier to deploy the ultra-thin probes and combined it with a robotic system capable of guiding implants along both straight and curved trajectories under X-ray imaging.
This approach could provide surgeons with additional options for navigating complex anatomical pathways while maintaining high levels of positioning accuracy.
The robotic implantation procedure developed by ETH Zurich and Nanoflex Robotics was validated both in vitro and in vivo in a large-animal model.
The ability to navigate along curved trajectories is particularly relevant to the future development of minimally invasive neural implantation. Conventional approaches can involve highly specialized procedures requiring significant surgical expertise. A robotic system capable of precisely controlling implant delivery could potentially improve reproducibility and expand the range of implantation strategies available to clinicians.
Matt Curran, co-founder and CEO of Nanoflex Robotics, said the MINIGRAPH project demonstrated the feasibility and potential of electromagnetic robotics for controlling delivery of next-generation BCI technologies through both straight and curved trajectories deep within the brain.
He added that the ability to achieve submillimeter accuracy could ultimately provide surgeons with greater flexibility in how these advanced neural devices are implanted.
Building Toward Autonomous Neuroelectronic Therapies
Beyond developing individual technologies, MINIGRAPH was designed around a broader concept: the creation of an autonomous neuroelectronic therapeutic system.
The consortium developed epicortical and subcortical graphene neural probes and combined them with advanced implantable electronics. These systems were integrated into a functional prototype, while the project also advanced robotic implantation and autonomous software for brain neuromodulation.
The resulting architecture is intended to support a future in which implanted systems can monitor neural activity continuously rather than relying solely on periodic assessments or predefined stimulation settings.
The implantable electronics developed through the project were designed to decode signals from hundreds of neural sites while also enabling precision neuromodulation. Dedicated software and signal-processing capabilities were developed to support autonomous therapeutic operation.
Such capabilities could be important for neurological conditions in which disease-related neural activity changes over time.
In a conventional stimulation paradigm, treatment parameters may be programmed according to clinical assessments and then adjusted periodically. An autonomous system, by contrast, could potentially identify relevant neural patterns and modify stimulation dynamically.
The longer-term vision behind this approach is a closed-loop therapeutic system that records neural activity, identifies disease-relevant signals and responds with targeted neuromodulation.
For Parkinson’s disease, such an approach could potentially support more individualized treatment by linking neural biomarkers directly to stimulation. More broadly, the underlying platform could eventually have relevance across multiple neurological disorders where abnormal neural activity plays a role in disease.
Multidisciplinary Collaboration Supports Clinical Translation
The breadth of the MINIGRAPH consortium reflects the multidisciplinary nature of advanced neurotechnology.
No single component is sufficient to create a practical autonomous BCI. The neural interface must provide reliable access to neural signals, electronics must process those signals within the constraints of an implantable system, software must translate neural activity into actionable information, and implantation technology must place the device accurately and safely.
By bringing together ICN2, INBRAIN, imec, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, LUMC, ETH Zurich, Nanoflex Robotics and Palacký University Olomouc, MINIGRAPH created a collaborative framework spanning fundamental materials research, engineering, robotics, neuroscience and clinical translation.
INBRAIN’s leadership in clinical translation was particularly important for connecting the technical developments to potential future therapeutic applications.
The completion of the project demonstrates the potential value of combining different areas of technological innovation rather than developing each component independently.
Potential Path Toward More Accessible BCI Technologies
A major underlying goal of MINIGRAPH was scalability.
Advanced BCIs and implantable neurotechnologies have historically required complex surgical procedures and highly specialized infrastructure. As the field progresses toward broader clinical use, technologies will need to become more reproducible, reliable and practical for implantation across a larger number of patients.
The combination of ultra-thin graphene electrodes and robotic implantation could potentially address two separate challenges at once: the design of smaller and more capable neural interfaces and the development of a more controlled implantation process.
By using magnetic navigation and robotic control, the MINIGRAPH system could eventually help make implantation procedures more standardized while maintaining precise positioning of neural interfaces.
The project’s results do not by themselves establish clinical efficacy for a particular neurological indication, but they provide important technological groundwork for future clinical development.
INBRAIN Continues Broader Neurotechnology Development
MINIGRAPH is part of INBRAIN Neuroelectronics’ broader strategy to translate graphene-based neurotechnology into precision therapies for neurological disorders.
The company’s work is centered on the concept of using advanced neural interfaces to capture detailed information from the brain and use that information to guide therapeutic intervention.
The successful integration of graphene electrodes, implantable electronics, autonomous software and robotic implantation through MINIGRAPH demonstrates how multiple technological advances can be combined into a single platform.
The project also highlights the growing convergence between neuroscience, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence-enabled signal processing, robotics and medical-device engineering.
Separately from MINIGRAPH, INBRAIN is collaborating with Robeauté to explore the potential of microrobotic neurosurgical technologies for improving the precision, scalability and accessibility of neural implantation. Robeauté is not affiliated with the MINIGRAPH consortium, and the collaboration is separate from the EIC-funded project.
Advancing the Future of Precision Neurotherapeutics
The completion of MINIGRAPH marks a significant development in the effort to create more sophisticated and potentially autonomous brain-computer interface therapies.
By combining graphene-based neural interfaces with implantable electronics, autonomous software and robotic implantation, the project addressed several of the technical challenges involved in developing next-generation neuroelectronic therapeutics.
The work supporting more than 10 years of projected electrode stability, extensive biocompatibility and toxicity testing, functional validation of neural interfaces and electronics, and demonstration of robotic implantation along straight and curved trajectories provides a broad technology foundation for continued development.
The project’s focus on Parkinson’s disease also provides a clinically relevant starting point for exploring how neural signals can be used to guide personalized neuromodulation.
As BCI technology advances from experimental systems toward clinical applications, the ability to manufacture reliable implants is only one part of the challenge. Successful deployment will also require safe implantation, high-quality long-term neural recording, precise stimulation, intelligent signal processing and systems capable of adapting to individual patients.
MINIGRAPH addressed these requirements through an integrated development strategy. Its results reinforce the potential of graphene-based neural interfaces and robotic implantation to contribute to the next generation of neurotechnology.
For INBRAIN, the completion of the project provides further support for its strategy of developing graphene-enabled platforms that could ultimately enable more precise, responsive and scalable therapies for patients living with neurological disorders.
About INBRAIN Neuroelectronics
INBRAIN Neuroelectronics is a clinical-stage neurotechnology company developing graphene-based brain-computer interface therapeutics. The company’s platform leverages the unique properties of graphene to create high-resolution, minimally invasive neural interfaces designed to treat neurological disorders in central and peripheral nervous system applications powered by AI. INBRAIN is advancing a pipeline of BCI-based therapies aimed at decoding and modulating neural activity with unprecedented precision and intelligence. For more information, visit www.inbrain.tech.