Latest news with #KurtHaggstrom
Fast Company
13-05-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
Apple partners with a brain-computer startup to turn thoughts into device control
Apple is partnering with brain-computer interface company Synchron to develop technology that lets users control devices using neural signals. Still in the early stages, the technology could significantly expand accessibility for users who are unable to operate devices with their hands, Synchron said in a press release. The partnership was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. 'This marks a defining moment for human-device interaction,' Synchron CEO Tom Oxley said in a statement. 'Apple is helping to pioneer a new interface paradigm, where brain signals are formally recognized alongside touch, voice and typing.' Historically, users have interacted with tech devices through keyboards, mice, and more recently, touch and voice. But these interfaces remain limiting for people with certain impairments. Apple and Synchron are now working to translate specific brain signals into actions like selecting icons on a screen. Synchron's implantable device, called the Stentrode, uses electrodes to read brain activity. It integrates with Apple's 'Switch Control' feature, which allows users to operate devices via alternative input methods. 'When we ask our clinical trial participants what they want to do, it's always about communication and creativity,' Synchron Chief Commercial Officer Kurt Haggstrom said in a statement. 'And to most people, that means using their Apple devices. For Apple to recognize that need, and respond to it, demonstrates how much they value accessibility for their users.' The technology likely remains years away from FDA approval and widespread use. Synchron said limited trials with patients are expected to begin later this year.
Business Wire
13-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Synchron To Achieve First Native Brain-Computer Interface Integration with iPhone, iPad and Apple Vision Pro
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Synchron, a category-defining brain-computer interface (BCI) company, today announced it will be the first BCI company to achieve native integration with a new BCI Human Interface Device (BCI HID) profile announced by Apple on May 13. This marks a major milestone in accessibility and neurotechnology, where users implanted with Synchron's BCI can control iPhone, iPad and Apple Vision Pro directly with their thoughts without the need for physical movement or voice commands. With the announcement of the new protocol from Apple - BCI HID for short - neural interfaces are now formally recognized as a native input category coming to Apple devices. This advancement enables hands-free, voice-free digital access for individuals with motor impairment such as ALS, stroke, or spinal cord injury. Synchron's BCI system will seamlessly integrate with Apple's built-in accessibility features, including Switch Control, giving users an intuitive way to use their devices and laying the foundation for a new generation of cognitive input technologies. 'This marks a defining moment for human-device interaction. BCI is more than an accessibility tool, it's a next-generation interface layer,' said Dr. Tom Oxley, CEO and Co-Founder, Synchron. 'Apple is helping to pioneer a new interface paradigm, where brain signals are formally recognized alongside touch, voice and typing. With BCI recognized as a native input for Apple devices, there are new possibilities for people living with paralysis and beyond.' Traditional human interface devices (HIDs) like keyboards and mice have historically required physical movement. While touch and voice interfaces have expanded accessibility, they remain limited for people with profound physical impairments. BCI HID eliminates those barriers by translating neural signals, captured by Synchron's Stentrode™ implant, into real-time digital commands. Unlike traditional assistive devices that replicate hardware inputs, a BCI HID can allow bidirectional communication between the BCI and the device. This closed-loop system can exchange contextual information, like screen layout and UI elements to optimize decoding accuracy and user experience. 'When we ask our clinical trial participants what they want to do, it's always about communication and creativity,' said Kurt Haggstrom, Chief Commercial Officer at Synchron. 'And to most people, that means using their Apple devices. For Apple to recognize that need, and respond to it, demonstrates how much they value accessibility for their users. It has been an honor to meet with their teams and provide feedback to help make BCI HID a reality.' 'For people who've lost nearly all movement, implantable Brain-Computer Interface technology is a breakthrough full of possibility,' said Blair Casey, CEO of Team Gleason, which supports people living with ALS in accessing and advancing technology. 'Today's announcement represents a significant advancement in both accessibility and innovation. Apple is not only a global leader in creating accessible products, but in championing new standards for accessibility that improve lives in meaningful ways. This isn't just about building tools, it's about redefining what's possible for people with disabilities." Apple's BCI HID presents an opportunity to break down more barriers and advance accessibility even further. Working collaboratively within the BCI industry, Synchron's goal is to achieve a foundation for seamless integration between any BCI system and any device—enabling a unified ecosystem for neural interaction across tech platforms and hardware vendors. In 2019, Synchron became the first BCI company to begin clinical testing of a permanently implantable system. Implanted via the blood vessels, Synchron's approach avoids open brain surgery, making it the most scalable neural interface technology in clinical development today. Native iOS, iPadOS and visionOS integration with Apple devices will offer value to patients in clinical trials while accelerating Synchron's commercialization path. Controlled rollouts with trial participants using BCI HID-compatible features are expected to begin later this year. About Synchron Synchron is the category-defining brain-computer interface (BCI) company pioneering implantable neurotechnology designed to restore autonomy and improve lives. Its mission is to bring the first commercially scalable BCI to millions of people with motor impairment. Synchron has completed two human clinical trials since 2019 and is preparing for a larger-scale study. The company's implantable BCI is now powered by Chiral AI™, a proprietary foundation model of cognition. With the BCI market projected to reach $400 billion (Morgan Stanley), Synchron is leading the field while prioritizing ethical development grounded in Cognitive Liberty and the protection of fundamental rights. Synchron is headquartered in New York. Learn more at and follow @synchroninc.
