As brain-computer interface developer Synchron has tried to expand how its tech links with the brain, it’s now trying to do the same with the computers. The company has reported that one of its implanted patients was able to control an Apple Vision Pro headset for the first time.
The virtual reality headset, which made its debut in February, can rely on hand gestures to move cursors and make selections. According to Synchron, one of its study participants—a 64-year-old man with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, who lost the use of his upper limbs—was able to use his thoughts to play games of solitaire, watch videos and send text messages.
“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,” the patient, named Mark, said in a release. “It can transport you to places you never thought you’d see or experience again.”
Synchron, a Fierce Medtech Fierce 15 and Fierce 50 honoree, is developing its Stentrode implant to connect brains with computers through a minimally invasive procedure. Named for the wireless, electrode-laced stent that’s placed inside blood vessels within the motor cortex, the system is being studied in a large-scale registry trial and other clinical studies focused on patients living with paralysis.
“BCI is a platform to re-connect people with injury or disease back to the fast-moving consumer technology landscape,” said founder and CEO Tom Oxley, Ph.D. “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.”
Earlier this month, Synchron announced it was able to connect its interface with generative AI programs developed through a collaboration with OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT. According to the company, Synchron's chat feature can provide automated prompts for texting and chatting, categorized by data inputs that offer context, including the user’s emotional state.
“As someone who will likely lose the ability to communicate as my disease progresses, this technology gives me hope that in the future I'll still have a way to easily connect with loved ones. This will be a game changer,” said Mark, the same patient with ALS.