Member May 2026: The Clinical Integration of Implantable Brain-Computer Interfaces: Preparing PM&R for the Next Era of Neuro-Rehabilitation (On-Demand)-Session Recording

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The session introduced the Academy’s Member May meeting and then featured Dr. Liang Chen on the future of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) in rehabilitation medicine. He explained BCI basics, comparing non-invasive EEG systems with minimally invasive and fully implanted devices, and highlighted the trade-off between safety and signal fidelity. Dr. Chen reviewed the rapid growth of the field, noting FDA milestones, breakthrough designations, and increasing private investment that signal BCIs are moving toward commercialization.  <br /><br />A major theme was that physiatrists should lead the “rehab gap” between implantation and long-term functional use. He proposed a four-phase care model: multidisciplinary patient selection, clinical phenotyping, neuroprosthetic rehabilitation, and lifelong maintenance. He emphasized that BCI candidates—patients with tetraplegia, ALS, or locked-in syndrome—are already in PM&R clinics today.  <br /><br />The talk also stressed the need for infrastructure, education, and new clinical frameworks to translate device outputs into functional rehab metrics and reimbursement systems. During Q&A, attendees discussed commercialization, public understanding of physiatry, academic-center rollout, and possible fellowship training. The session closed with an invitation to join the AAPM&R Neurotech and BCI community.

Keywords

brain-computer interfaces

rehabilitation medicine

EEG systems

FDA milestones

neuroprosthetic rehabilitation

physiatry

tetraplegia

ALS

BCI commercialization