Apple has announced that its new protocol enables seamless integration with BCI, allowing its iPhones, iPads, and Apple Vision to control digital hardware without the need for physical movement or voice commands. Among the various BCI manufacturers, Synchron (headquartered in New York) is the only company whose BCI has achieved “Native Integration” with Apple’s Human Interface Devices, as highlighted in recent news magazines.
“Native Integration” refers to a direct connection and data flow between two applications, meaning that the functions of one application are seamlessly and perfectly integrated with another.
Patients implanted with Synchron’s BCI can operate iPhones, iPads, and Apple Vision simply by thinking, without using physical movements such as hands or eyes, or voice commands. This achievement is being highlighted by technology-related media as a significant milestone, both in terms of ease of access for users and from the perspective of human brain-neurotechnology.
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Synchron’s BCI was introduced in last year’s news column, so some readers may remember it. Unlike other companies’ BCIs, Synchron’s BCI is implanted in blood vessels rather than in the brain. It is similar to a stent inserted into blood vessels, which is why it is named Stentrode.While brain implants require major brain surgery and procedures that penetrate brain tissue, the Stentrode offers a low-risk alternative with minimal invasiveness, similar to a stent.
We sincerely hope that the day will soon come when patients around the world who need this technology can access it at an affordable cost.
Reported by Nobuko Schlough on June 05, 2025
