As neurotechnology increasingly embeds itself in everyday life, the coroner’s court faces a new frontier—where neural data could illuminate the mysteries of death with scientific precision & profound ethical consequences. Harry Lambert reports
- Advances in neurotechnology could soon allow coroners to analyse brain activity to determine intent, cause, and sequence of death—redefining how inquests are conducted.
- From discerning suicidal intent and distinguishing drug-induced deaths to resolving questions like cause versus consequence or identifying SIDS, neural insights may offer unprecedented clarity in coronial investigations.
The growing ubiquity of wearable technology and the rapidly advancing field of neurotechnology are generating an unprecedented flood of neural data, which could have profound implications for coronial law. In 2023, Apple filed patents that incorporate electroencephalogram (EEG) sensors into its AirPods, while just over a month ago, Meta launched its first mass-market neuro-wearable, the Neural Band. These developments signal a future where neural monitoring becomes seamlessly and casually integrated into our daily lives. And perhaps into our deaths as well: neurotechnology’s promise to discern the intricacies of neural activity, and to uncover
