Neurotech startups use 'minimally invasive' with no clear definition
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- Anna Wexler called the term 'minimally invasive' fuzzy and problematic, noting there is no clear consensus on whether it refers to physical invasiveness or another metric
- Synchron, Motif Neurotech, Precision Neuroscience, and Merge Labs all use the phrase 'minimally invasive' prominently in describing their brain-computer interface devices
- Neurotechnology startups deploy the term to differentiate their devices from more invasive alternatives, despite its lack of standardized meaning
- Journalists sometimes repeat the 'minimally invasive' framing without scrutiny, amplifying marketing language as if it were a clinical designation
Why it matters: Patients may misunderstand the risks of experimental brain implants if 'minimally invasive' is taken at face value, while companies gain a PR advantage by using an undefined term that sounds safer—this asymmetry could shape informed consent and public trust in emerging neurotech.
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