As part of the IF/THEN VIRTUAL STEM FAIR SERIES with Nepris, Dr. Cori Lathan introduces students to the fields of neuroscience and biomedical engineering. She covers such areas as how technology will keep our bodies working, what can affect our brain, and how important it is to measure our brain health and keep our brains healthy. This session is part of the IF/THEN Virtual STEM Fair Series of virtual presentations.

The interaction between humans and technology has changed drastically in the last 20 years. This relationship shapes our society in positive and negative ways, and the next 20 years promises to bring about even more profound changes.

Perhaps you remember the "Borg Collective" from Star Trek: The Next Generation. The Borg used neural interfaces to connect every member of their society to each other and their leader. What if instead of a dictatorial society, the Borg had used their neural interconnections to create an advanced egalitarian society?

We have epidemics affecting our brain health at all ages, from concussions to sleep deprivation and from depression to Alzheimer's disease. And now we have COVID, which affects our brain directly through the virus and indirectly through the effects of isolation and stress. Emerging and existing technologies such as telemedicine, wearable sensors, and virtual and augmented reality all have the potential to help change us as individuals and communities for the better.