Despite remarkable advances in AI, machines still struggle with interpreting human emotions, cognitive processes, and contextual understanding. The work of Zander Labs bridges this gap by developing passive BCI systems that give AI access to the richness and complexity of human cognition.
The newly demonstrated system integrates new neurotechnology components. Brain activity is captured by the Zypher Suite (an almost invisible set of EEG electrodes combined with the world’s smallest 24-channel EEG amplifier) that delivers exceptionally high-quality brain activity for real-time analysis in any environment. A system-on-a-chip executes decoding algorithms that interpret specific mental processes from continuous brain activity. Crucially, all neural processing occurs locally, ensuring complete data security without exposing private EEG data to the cloud. These plug-and-play algorithms decode anyone's brain activity without prior personalization, made possible by training on large EEG datasets.
The demonstration showcased these components fully integrated for the first time, with the system detecting cognitive load levels and adapting an interface in real-time, as an example of how brain-informed systems can optimize human-computer interaction.
'This milestone represents the realization of years of rigorous research,' says Jonathan Zwaan, CEO of Zander Labs. 'We have gone from concept to a working system that demonstrates how neurotechnology can truly provide AI with insight into human cognition while users maintain control over their data. This is the foundation for technology that truly understands us, adapts to us, and evolves with us.'
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The demonstration has generated significant interest from partners including the Agentur für Innovation in der Cybersicherheit (Cyberagentur): 'What Zander Labs has achieved addresses critical challenges in developing systems that need to intelligently adapt to human operators. The ability to have real-time access to highly precise mental state data, with privacy built into the architecture, opens up entirely new possibilities for human-technology collaboration,' says Dr. Andreas Schönau, NAFAS project leader for Cyberagentur.
The NAFAS milestone positions Zander Labs at the forefront of a new paradigm where technology not only responds to commands but understands context, anticipates needs, and empathetically adapts to human cognitive states.
Meet the Zander Labs team at CES 2026 in Las Vegas for a system demonstration.
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About NAFAS
The NAFAS mission is to develop neurotechnology prototypes that simplify communication and enable AI to learn directly from the human brain, gaining deeper insights into human values and cognitive states.
About Zander Labs
Zander Labs is a German-Dutch DeepTech company focused on passive brain-computer interfaces (passive BCI) and neuroadaptive technology. The company's vision is to enhance and transform human-computer interaction (HCI) and neuro-AI, creating a world where technology understands us effortlessly and intuitively adapts to us. Zander Labs is developing a user-friendly platform that provides cognitive
universal classifiers and insights into mental states. This platform enables the unlocking of the full potential of computer interaction, ensures human-compatible AI, and educates AI through human brain activity. With your brain, you make the world.
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