Synchron has announced that a patient using its brain-computer interface has successfully used his thoughts to control the cursor of the Apple Vision Pro, a spatial computing system.
In a July 30 press release, Brooklyn-based Synchron said Mark, a 64-year-old with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), “successfully used his direct thoughts to control the cursor on the Apple Vision Pro when he played Solitaire, watched Apple TV, and sent text messages using the Synchron brain computer interface, hands-free.”
Apple Vision Pro — which Apple says “seamlessly blends digital content with your physical space” using a headset — typically requires hand movements, eye movements, and/or voice to operate. The system provides access to digital content “while allowing users to stay present and connected to others,” the press release said.
Mark — whom Synchron identified only by first name for privacy reasons — had the Synchron Brain Computer Interface (BCI) implanted “in the blood vessel on the surface of the motor cortex of the brain via the jugular vein, through a minimally invasive endovascular procedure.”
“BCI is a platform to reconnect people with injury or disease back to the fast-moving consumer technology landscape,” Tom Oxley, Synchron’s CEO and founder, said. “Vision Pro is a powerful system, but it relies on the use of hand gestures to exert control over the UI [user interface]. We are sending control signals directly from the brain to replace the need for hand gestures. 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.”
“This is pretty cool,” Mark said about being able to watch a video via Apple Vision Pro. “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.”
Image: Synchron
