Project: HYBRID MINDS: Experiential, Ethical and Legal Investigation of Intelligent Neuroprostheses

Acronym	HYBRIDMIND (Reference Number: ELSA_NEURON_-034)
Duration	01/04/2021 - 31/10/2023
Project Topic	HYBRIDMINDS aims to provide the first systematic exploration of the experiential, ethical, and legal significance of the functional integration of neuroprostheses with the human mind, especially those that incorporate Artificial Intelligence. The project will a) to conceptualize the novel phenomenon of hybrid minds, b) use qualitative interviews with users of experimental and clinical neuroprostheses to understand their experiences and attitudes toward these devices, c) identify the ethical and legal challenges arising from hybrid minds, d) to offer new knowledge and concrete guidance to aid neuroengineers, patients and clinicians, ethicists, lawyers and regulators to respond to the nascent experimental and clinical use of intelligent neuroprostheses, and e) to analyze and advance calls for better human rights protection with respect to neurotechnologies. Our dissemination strategy is multi-faceted, including (a) the first-of-its-kind international stake-holder conference on the regulation of intelligent neuroprostheses, (b) guidance for patient-centered, ethically-aligned technology design and evaluation, (c) guidance for clinical implementation for use by clinicians and patients and (d) an ethico-legal perspective on current debates about the regulation of AI-based neuroprostheses as medical devices in the EU, Switzerland and Canada.
Website	visit project website
Network	NEURON Cofund
Call	Call for Proposals for Research Projects on Ethical, Legal, and Social Aspects (ELSA) of Neuroscience

Project partner

Number	Name	Role	Country
1	Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e. V.	Coordinator	Germany
2	University Medical Center Göttingen	Partner	Germany
3	University of Ottawa, Institute of Mental Health Research	Partner	Canada
4	Fundación Hospital Nacional de Parapléjicos	Partner	Spain