hardware

: the physical components — such as electronic and electrical devices — of a computer or other apparatus

Example:

“But more recently, some companies have been working toward mating AI technology with hardware.” —Alan Stafford, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025

In neuroscience and neuro-technology, hardware refers to the physical devices that record from or stimulate the nervous system. It ranges from non-invasive equipment worn on or near the body — EEG electrode caps and headsets, MEG and fMRI scanners, fNIRS sensors, and stimulation devices such as TMS coils or tDCS pads — to partially and fully invasive implants placed on or within brain tissue, including electrocorticography (ECoG) grids, depth electrodes, and microelectrode arrays such as the Utah array. This hardware is typically paired with amplifiers, signal-processing units, and software that turn raw neural activity into data or commands.

Related terms: software, brain–computer interface, electroencephalograph, transparent brain-computer interfaces