Overview

• Researchers at UCL and Oxford built a 256‑element helmet that focuses transcranial ultrasound on deep brain targets with high precision.
• In seven volunteers, targeting the lateral geniculate nucleus produced immediate visual cortex activation and post‑stimulation decreases lasting about 40 minutes on fMRI.
• The system achieved targeting about 1,000 times finer than conventional ultrasound and 30 times finer than previous deep‑brain devices.
• Participants reported no conscious changes in vision, and the MRI‑compatible setup allows real‑time monitoring that could enable closed‑loop control.
• A new spinout, NeuroHarmonics, is developing portable versions as larger studies plan to evaluate mechanisms, safety, and potential benefits for conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and depression.