Imagine treating Parkinson’s without brain surgery, wires, or screws in your skull. Sounds futuristic?
A team of scientists may have just made it possible—with an ultrasound “helmet.”
This chunky headpiece is designed to fit inside an MRI scanner.
It can beam mechanical pulses into the brain with astonishing precision—up to 30 times more targeted than anything before.
“It is a head helmet with 256 sources,” explained Oxford researcher Ioana Grigoras, who tested it herself.
“Claustrophobic at first, but then you get comfortable.”
Traditional deep brain stimulation (DBS) requires drilling into the skull to implant electrodes.
Effective, yes—but hardly inviting. The new system, tested on seven volunteers, instead directed ultrasound waves to a brain region the size of a grain of rice.
The waves hit with “remarkable accuracy,” said Oxford’s Prof Charlotte Stagg.
What’s The Proof?
Changes in brain activity downstream—an early sign this could reduce symptoms like tremors.
Experts are calling it a milestone. “This represents a fundamental neuroscience breakthrough,” said Prof Elsa Fouragnan of Plymouth University.
The project has taken more than a decade to develop.
The team is now gearing up to target areas tied to Parkinson’s, depression, stroke recovery, and more.
The dream? A future where, powered by AI, this helmet could be used at home.
Brain surgery replaced by a wearable? That’s not just science fiction anymore.
