From Quantum Sensors to Quantum Intelligence: Building the Next Generation of Neurotechnology

Quantum technologies are opening new frontiers in neurotechnology, both in how we measure brain activity and how we decode it. Quantum sensors such as optically pumped magnetometers (OPMs) enable flexible, non-invasive recording of neuronal magnetic fields, creating new opportunities for wearable MEG, brain–computer interfaces (BCIs), and closed-loop neuromodulation.

At the Berlin Quantum Hackathon 2026, the Clinical Neurotechnology Lab at Charité challenged international teams to explore whether quantum machine learning could improve the decoding of motor imagery from brain signals. The challenge was won by a team from Mayo Clinic who developed a hybrid quantum–classical approach for decoding movement intention from EEG. Their work has since evolved into a joint scientific collaboration and publication.

This session explores the convergence of quantum sensing, artificial intelligence, and neurotechnology: from capturing previously inaccessible neural information to developing new ways of decoding it. It will examine where quantum approaches may offer genuine advantages and how this convergence could shape the next generation of intelligent, non-invasive neurotechnologies.