Synchron has successfully demonstrated the world’s first thought-controlled iPad experience using Apple’s new Brain-Computer Interface Human Interface Device (BCI HID) protocol. The company’s implantable brain-computer interface (BCI) technology allows users to control an iPad entirely with their thoughts, leveraging Apple’s built-in accessibility features.
The demonstration was made possible by Mark, a participant in Synchron’s COMMAND clinical study and a person living with ALS, who used the company’s BCI to navigate the iPad home screen, open apps, and compose text without using his hands, voice, or eyes. The technology is made possible by Apple’s Switch Control feature and Synchron’s Stentrode device, which detects motor intention from blood vessels within the brain.
The system allows for closed-loop communication between the BCI decoder and iPadOS, enabling precise and intuitive control using only neural signals. This marks a significant advancement in assistive technology and a glimpse at the future of human-computer interaction.
Synchron is continuing controlled rollouts of the BCI HID experience with clinical participants, with broader availability to come. The company’s implantable BCI technology has already completed two human clinical trials since 2019 and is preparing for a larger-scale study.
This development is expected to bring brain-computer interface technology into everyday life, making it practical, scalable, and integrated into the global consumer ecosystem. Synchron is leading the field in developing implantable neurotechnology designed to restore autonomy and improve lives.
Source: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250804537175/en/Synchron-Debuts-First-Thought-Controlled-iPad-Experience-Using-Apples-New-BCI-Human-Interface-Device-Protocol