Maybe. If you’re talking about the invasive forms of BCI (ie not EEG) then it could be better. Biocompatibility is difficult, the article doesn’t go super in depth, but assuming they don’t get attacked by the immune system then maybe. But you still have to implant them by opening up the skull so there is that.

Wish my grandfather hadn’t left x.x

So I don’t doubt their motives— but was there a specific thing that they said about locking hardware?

Blarg I don’t know if corporations know what a teacher, student, or hobby is.

students, educators, and hobbyists will be empowered to rapidly prototype and test new solutions, with a clear path to commercialization