# Neural Decoding
**Domain:** Computational Neuroscience / Machine Learning
**Doc Type:** Concept Node
**Maturity:** Active Research and Deployment
**Related:** [[Neural Signal Acquisition]], [[Generative BCI Decoding]], [[Brain-Computer Interfaces]], [[Neural Data Provenance]]
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## Definition
**Neural decoding** estimates an intended action, stimulus, linguistic unit, perceptual category, or internal state from measured neural activity. A decoder is a model conditioned by its sensor modality, task, training data, temporal window, preprocessing, and target representation.
## Evidentiary boundary
Decoded output is an inference, not a transparent copy of thought. Accuracy depends on the experimental distribution and may not generalize across people, devices, sessions, or contexts without calibration.