Bicheng Han

Despite the fact that brain machine interface (BMI) has a history of nearly 100 years, there is no denying that we still have little knowledge about human brains. The technology is still at its initial stage and applications are, therefore, limited.

Having chosen brain science as his starting point for research and entrepreneurship, Bicheng Han, founder and CEO of BrianCo, said, “Besides regular studying, I also have a strong thirst for other kinds of knowledge." After graduating, he joined the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle and was engaged in scientific research and medical equipment development for several years.

Han got to know the BMI technology there. Later he went to the Center for Brian Science at Harvard University to study for a brain science doctorate. At the time, Han established his BMI startup BrainCo. Meanwhile, based on brain science research and BMI technology, he also set up a semi-nonprofit project BrainRobotics, which is dedicated to making smart prostheses for people with disabilities.

The EEG equipment is too bulky, complicated, and inconvenient for usage. In order to spread the usage of EEG technology, Han formed a product development team with outstanding engineers from Harvard and MIT. They finally developed an EEG monitoring headband called Focus. Focus can read brain signals at medical level precision. It weighs less than 90 grams, making it comfortable even for long term wearing.

Focus is positioned for the educational market. Han hopes to help teachers get feedback and understand students’ classroom attention levels. Thus, students can improve their focus and learning efficiency. After a 2 year rollout, Focus has received orders for 600,000 devices, which is the biggest order for a single BMI product.

As a scientist entrepreneur, Han thinks a company must be operated with a scientifically rigorous attitude. This is because entrepreneurship is not only commercial success, but should also aim to improve society with the most cutting-edge technologies and aid children, disadvantaged groups, and those most in need of help.