Intermediate
Focused ultrasound
Also known as: Transcranial ultrasound, Functional ultrasound, fUS, LIFU
Sound waves focused through the skull to a precise point, used to treat tremor, deliver drugs and, increasingly, to image or modulate brain activity.
High-intensity focused ultrasound is already approved to treat essential tremor by heating a tiny target. Low-intensity ultrasound can change neural activity without damage. Functional ultrasound imaging can track blood flow with high detail. Several new companies see ultrasound as a route to high-performance non-surgical BCIs.
Last updated Sep 30, 2026. Educational content, not medical advice.