Austin-based neurotechnology company Paradromics has announced a strategic collaboration with medical imaging giant Siemens Healthineers to develop a sophisticated multimodal imaging platform designed to support the next generation of implantable brain-computer interfaces (BCIs).
As BCIs move closer to mainstream clinical adoption, the precision with which they are integrated into the human brain is becoming a critical hurdle. Paradromics, which is currently developing its flagship “Connexus” BCI—a high-data-rate device designed to restore speech and motor function to patients with severe paralysis—recognizes that surgical success depends on more than just hardware. By partnering with Siemens Healthineers, the company aims to merge neural data with advanced anatomical and functional mapping.
The collaboration will leverage Siemens Healthineers’ expertise in structural and functional MRI, CT, and vascular imaging. The goal is to build an integrated, automated workflow that allows surgeons to map a patient’s specific brain organization before the procedure begins. This involves identifying functionally relevant regions for speech and movement, planning precise surgical trajectories to avoid critical blood vessels, and determining the optimal final placement for BCI components.
“Building the best hardware is only part of the story,” said Matt Angle, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Paradromics. “The ability to understand each patient’s individual anatomy and functional organization can help us identify the right neural target and place our technology with greater accuracy.”
A key aspect of this research partnership is the comparison of functional imaging predictions with real-world neural activity recorded by implanted Connexus devices. These high-resolution recordings will enable the team to validate current imaging-based brain maps, essentially creating a feedback loop that refines targeting methods for future patients.
For hospitals and clinicians, the collaboration is designed to minimize friction. Rather than forcing medical centers to invest in bespoke equipment, the initiative seeks to integrate BCI workflows into existing, widely used Siemens diagnostic systems. “We want to make things easy for hospitals, not require them to buy and train on bespoke capital equipment,” noted Dr. William J. Marks, Jr., chief clinical officer of Paradromics. “Siemens Healthineers is the leader in advanced medical imaging, and most hospitals in the US use their systems.”
While the initial phase of this partnership focuses on speech-motor function and communication restoration, both companies anticipate the platform will eventually expand to assist with visual, auditory, and cognitive mapping.
“Brain-computer interfaces represent an important new frontier for neuroscience,” said Dr. Donald Hardie, head of Magnetic Resonance at Siemens Healthineers. “Working with Paradromics gives us the opportunity to explore how advanced multimodal imaging, automation, and clinical decision support can help make these procedures more precise, repeatable, and ultimately more accessible across leading medical centers.”
This move signals a shift in the BCI landscape, moving away from experimental research models toward scalable, clinically integrated medical solutions that could soon become standard practice for treating complex neurological conditions.
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