Synchron today announced the world’s first use of Apple Vision Pro paired with its implanted brain-computer interface (BCI).
Mark, a 64-year-old man with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), used the combination of the technology. This marks the latest integration of Synchron’s BCI with popular consumer technology after a recent collaboration with OpenAI.
Using Apple Vision Pro, Mark, who was implanted with the Synchron Stentrode BCI, used his direct thoughts to control a cursor. He played solitaire, watched AppleTV and sent text messages hands-free, using the BCI. Without the BCI, he wouldn’t be able to use the Apple Vision Pro virtual reality (VR) headset due to the loss of function in his upper limbs.
“This is pretty cool, I’ve been wanting to try this for a while now,” Mark said in a news release. “It’s like watching it in the theater, it really comes to life. Using this type of enhanced reality is so impactful and I can imagine it would be for others in my position or others who have lost the ability to engage in their day-to-day life. It can transport you to places you never thought you’d see or experience again.”
Synchron said its new integration allows for users who lost mobility in their hands and voice to engage with Apple’s system. The company says it reflects its “commitment to patient-first innovation in neurotechnology.”
“BCI is a platform to re-connect people with injury or disease back to the fast-moving consumer technology landscape. Vision Pro is a powerful system, but it relies on the use of hand gestures to exert control over the UI. We are sending control signals directly from the brain to replace the need for hand gestures,” said Tom Oxley, CEO & founder, Synchron, “We are moving towards a new Bluetooth standard for Human Computer Interactions that don’t require touch or speech. This is a critical unmet need for millions of people with paralysis.”
More about Synchron and BCIs
The Synchron BCI system is delivered through an endovascular approach. Synchron says its BCI is the only one tapping into blood vessels to capture signals from the brain. The implant goes on the surface of the motor cortex of the brain via the jugular vein.
Once implanted, it detects and wirelessly transmits motor intent out of the brain, potentially allowing severely paralyzed people to control personal devices with hands-free point-and-click.
Synchron completed enrollment for its COMMAND clinical trial in September 2023. It also won the first FDA investigational device exemption for assessment of a permanently implanted BCI. The company hopes to beat Neuralink to FDA approval and commercialization. Neuralink is in the midst of its own in-human trial, recently announcing plans for a second human implant.
Read more about BCIs and companies in the space that you should know here.
