The 100th Edition, Neuroscience startups, improved power transmission and Middle Earth.

March 18

Welcome to the 100th edition of “What’s on Craig’s Mind?”. It is amazing how time flies. Firstly a huge thank you to all that have read the newsletter and provided feedback. I hope that you have enjoyed reading and found something interesting in each edition. I love writing it.

This week we will look at some startups in Neuroscience, we discover a new solution to power transmission limitations and a planned commercial space station. We also examine the discovery of a new layer in the Earth’s middle. An “innermost inner core”.

Neuroscience Startups

CBInsights has recently reviewed 21 leading startups in the Neuroscience space. It is early days however there is massive development and interest in how neuroscience can help us with our lives. Here are a few highlights:

Curing Disease

Kernel is working on a way to measure and stimulate the electrical impulses of multiple neurons at the same time. The technology will be used for treating diseases such as depression or Alzheimer’s.

Flow Neuroscience has developed a similar neuron stimulation technique to treat depression. Used in conjunction with other evidence based methods of treatment Flow customers typically experience some improvement in a few days of use.

Regaining Mobility

Synchron is working to help paralyzed patients regain movement. Their device passes through cerebral blood vessels allowing it to implant in the brain and gives patients direct brain control of mobility assistance devices.

BrainCo has developed a wearable headband for education, fitness and mind controlled games. They are in the process of developing a robotic prosthetic hand controlled by the mind.

Sleep

Dreem helps people monitor their sleep via a head mounted device that uses EEG electrodes to analyze brain activity. Using bone conduction technology it emits a sound that is intended to enhance the quality of sleep.

Destress

Thync developed a wearable pod that attaches to the back of the neck. It uses neurostimulation to combat stress and promote better sleep.

There are many other companies in this sector ranging from Elon Musk’s Neuralink (brain computer interface) to Bitbrain ,a startup in Spain developing AI driven neuromarketing sensors to help understand the subconscious motivations of customers (and you thought that Facebook invaded your privacy, wait until the Tech giants can read your thoughts and innermost motivations).

The full list can be found here.

The Earth’s Core

We long believed that the planet that we live on had 4 layers. The crust, the mantle, the outer core and the inner core. Researchers at Australian National University (ANU) have recently confirmed a 5th layer “the innermost inner core”. I am sure that a good marketer could come up with a better name.

The new innermost inner core is about half the diameter of the inner core (a new name is really needed). The innermost inner core is approximately 5,750 kilometers from the Earth’s surface and 650 kilometers from the Earth’s center. The new layer was discovered by using a search algorithm to compare thousands of models of the inner core with the time travel data for seismic waves traveling though the Earth. This gave evidence of changes in the structure of iron in the Center of the Earth. This may indicate two separate cooling events in our planet’s history. More research is required to understand the implications of this finding.

High Temperature Superconductors and Power Transmission

As we electrify everything we will require more and more electricity to be transmitted from the generation site to wherever it is used. Power grids are huge and some of the continents on earth have grids the cover virtually the entire continent. Distributed generation via solar, wind and a network of smaller generation systems means that power can be transmitted 1,000’s of kilometers from source to where it is needed.

Conventional transmission relies on an ever expanding physical footprint of higher voltage taller transmission towers and and more land cleared for power transmission.

High temperature superconductors (HTS) have the potential to solve these transmission challenges. HTS cable can operate at up to 10 times the current of conventional wire while maintaining superconductivity. Higher current allows for lower voltage and smaller rights of way for transmission lines. Existing HTS systems work well over short distances in dense urban centers however the current systems are too expensive for long distance deployment.

Boston based startup Veir (it is another MIT spin out) has developed a new process for passive evaporative cryogenic cooling. Here is a technical explanation for those that are interested. This new process enables the deployment of cost effective HTS transmission lines over very long distances. The rights of way for power lines can be smaller and less intrusive on the landscape. Power grids will not only become cheaper they will be more reliable. Veir recently completed a $10 million funding round to further develop and deploy their technology.

Commercial Space Station

Axiom Space has recently raised US$130 Million to develop their space station modules for the International Space Station (ISS). NASA is using more and more private industry to develop space capabilities. Competition in the sector is fierce.

In January 2022, Axiom is undertaking the first ever private astronaut launch using a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket. Axiom hopes to go from adding the first private modules to the ISS, to creating their own wholly privately owned space station for research and space tourism.

Quick NFT update

We have spoken about Non Fungible tokens over the past few weeks. My NBA Top Shot Moments are now worth US$300 more than I paid for them. However Mike Winkleman is doing much much better. Better known as Beeple, in 2007 he set out to create a new digital artwork every day. You may have heard in the news that last week he sold the NFT for a collage of the 5,000 digital artworks that he has created since 2007 for US$69,300,000. The sale via Christie’s Auction House is the third highest price ever for any artwork by a living artist. I should have paid more attention during Art class.

Paying it Forward

If you have a start-up or know of a start-up that has a product ready for market please let me know. I would be happy to have a look and feature the startup in this newsletter. Also if any startups need introductions please get in touch and I will help where I can.

If you have any questions or comments please email me via my website craigcarlyon.com or comment below.

I would also appreciate it if you could forward this newsletter to anyone that you think might be interested.

Till next week.