Gabe Newell, the founder of Valve, has endorsed the new startup Starfish Technologies, which is developing brain-computer interfaces (BCI) aimed at treating neurological disorders. This was reported by TechSpot.

Starfish Technologies is not connected to the gaming industry; the company focuses on medical applications. The first chips are expected to be released by the end of 2025. The developers are working on compact, energy-efficient, and wireless implants that can read and stimulate brain activity in multiple areas simultaneously.

The technology targets disorders related to neural connectivity issues, such as Parkinson's disease. Starfish is seeking partnerships with experts in wireless energy transfer, neurointerfaces, and communication systems.

Valve has previously explored brain implants in a gaming context, and companies like Sony, Tencent, and Apple are also showing interest in this technology. However, Starfish aims to concentrate on medical use cases initially.

Starfish has released the technical specifications of its chip, which measures 2×4 mm and consumes only 1.1 mW of energy during standard recording. It can record brain activity (spikes and local field potentials) from 16 channels simultaneously at a frequency of 18.75 kHz using 32 electrodes. The chip also supports electrical stimulation and includes built-in monitoring for impedance and signal processing capable of operating through low-speed wireless interfaces. The chip is manufactured using TSMC's 55 nm process.

Starfish's main competitor is Neuralink, founded by Elon Musk. Neuralink is already testing its BCI systems on human subjects; the first patient received an implant in January 2024, and its functionality remains intact despite some disconnections.

Neuralink uses a larger implant with 1024 electrodes, consuming about 6 mW of power and requiring periodic wireless charging. The company targets both medical and experimental applications of brain interfaces.