Apple CEO, Tim Cook, unveils the latest generation of iPhones.
Apple is boldly embracing brain-computer interface (BCI) technology to enable users to control its devices using only their thoughts—a novel frontier for the company.
Earlier this week, it was announced that the tech giant is working with Synchron, a company that has been pioneering BCI research and work for more than a decade. The company was founded by Dr. Tom Oxley, a neurointerventionalist and technologist. Synchron has developed a stent-like implant that can be inserted using a (relatively) minimally invasive procedure on an individual’s motor cortex. The stent was reportedly granted FDA clearance for human trials in 2021, and works to detect brain signals and translate them into software-enabled relays; in the case of an Apple device, the relays can select icons on a iPhone or iPad.
The video below shows a user’s experience with Synchron’s BCI in conjunction with the Apple Vision headset.
Apple is working to establish the standards for BCI devices and protocolize what their use could look like across its device landscape. The company is expected to open up the technology and protocols to third-party developers in short order.
Among the primary goals of BCI technology is to enable the millions of individuals worldwide that may have limited physical functions to use devices. For example, the World Health Organization reports that globally, over 15 million people are living with spinal cord injuries. Many of these individuals may experience some type of loss of physical or sensory functions over the course of their lifetimes.
This is where BCIs can truly make a difference—enabling individuals to control electronic devices purely with their thoughts. In fact, reports indicate that the BCI industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.35% from 2025 to 2030 and has huge potential to become a trillion dollar market within the next decade.
Undoubtedly, BCIs have become a popular topic of conversation in recent years, especially due to the significant amount of progress that has been made in the field. Notably, Elon Musk’s Neuralink has been especially vocal about its immense success. The company is developing its own BCI technology stack with a visionary goal to “create a generalized brain interface to restore autonomy to those with unmet medical needs today and unlock human potential tomorrow.” Neuralink especially made waves when it released its “Monkey MindPong” video (below), which showed a Macaque monkey playing the classic game of Pong and navigating the controller solely with its thoughts.
Given that Synchron’s interface is a stent-like device, the company has developed a minimally invasive procedure for its insertion. Neuralink has developed its own surgical robot to be able to implant its device with precision. Unsurprisingly, these procedures are incredibly complex and require immense technical proficiency and medical expertise. Therefore, all of this work, despite the promising potential and results, is ultimately dependent on government approval and oversight, pending the clearance of numerous safety and reliability tests. Furthermore, a significant amount of work still needs to be done with regards to the long-term efficacy of this technology as well as its impacts on the physical body.
However, if done correctly, millions of individuals stand to potentially benefit from this revolutionary technology.
