PhotonGrav: Pioneering the First fNIRS BCI in Space | Cortivision

In the annals of space exploration, certain milestones redefine our understanding of human potential. Cortivision's upcoming PhotonGrav project is poised to be one such milestone: the first-ever deployment of a fully operational brain-computer interface (BCI) in the microgravity environment of space. The Scientific Leap: BCI Beyond Earth. BCI systems have captured imaginations and enabled new forms of communication — primarily through EEG (electroencephalography). However, EEG is notoriously vulnerable to motion, muscle activity, and environmental interference — all amplified in space. PhotonGrav is a project fully developed by Cortivision which will shift that paradigm by deploying a functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)-based BCI system aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Unlike EEG, fNIRS is more robust against movement and environmental noise, making it a more viable solution for microgravity conditions. The experiment is designed to determine whether cognitive intent — such as performing a mental calculation or entering a state of relaxation — can be decoded from brain activity in space. The targeted brain regions, Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC) and Middle Frontal Gyrus (MFG), are key to focus and mental workload. A machine learning algorithm will interpret these signals in real time, enabling participants to control feedback with their thoughts alone.