Tan Le is recognised as one of the most influential pioneers in the emerging field of brain-computer interface. An inventor and entrepreneur, she is the founder and CEO of EMOTIV, the leader in EEG – Brain Computer Interface (BCI) technology. The San Francisco-headquartered neuroinformatics company is on a mission to improve understanding of the human brain and to develop a platform for researchers, developers, and consumers around the world. The company’s non-invasive ‘brainwear’ reads and interprets brainwaves, making it possible to control virtual objects with mere thoughts. It has already enabled a quadriplegic to drive a race car with his mind, powered bionic limbs, created the technology to optimise work environments, and given ordinary people the tools to understand and harness their brains’ limitless potential.
Tan Le is a three-time TED speaker and a member of the World Economic Forum’s Council on the Future of Neurotechnologies and Brain Science. She is also on Forbes Technology Council, where she is a contributing writer on business and workplace-related subjects. Tan Le is the author of The NeuroGeneration: The New Era in Brain Enhancement That Is Revolutionizing How We Think, Work & Heal, in which she explores exciting advances in brain science and neurotechnology. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Innovation Research Interchange (IRI) Achievement Award, the G’Day USA Global Innovation Award, the Advance Global Australian Award for ICT, and the AutoVision Innovation Award.
Tan Le was 4 years old when she, her mother, her three year old sister and her grandmother escaped from Vietnam in 1981 to build a new life in Australia. Tan Le continues to champion causes close to her heart, including STEM education, women in technology, and technology for mental health. She was a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Technology for Mental Health and a director of Plan International Australia, one of the world’s largest community development organisations focused on ending childhood poverty.
