New principles of implementation of neuroimplants and first results
In May 2024, I published an article about crisis in the neuroimplant market. The problem is that if the company that installed the implant goes bankrupt, the implant will remain in the person's brain. New neuroimplant technology is less invasive, and allowed a 64-year-old ALS patient to become the first person in the world to use Apple's Vision Pro via a brain-computer interface.
The peculiarity of the new technology is that for installation it is not necessary to cut the skull and climb into the brain from the outside. Synchron delivers electrodes through the jugular vein, through which the chip moves to the motor cortex of the brain and is fixed in the desired area. If you are interested in materials about the world of the near future, philosophical questions about the nature of consciousness and intelligence, as well as an analysis of available tools on how to improve memory or concentration – Welcome to our community.
A Brief Introduction to the World of Neuroimplants
The term “interface” human brain-computer” (BCI) speaks for itself. These are devices designed to place electrodes in specific areas of the brain to convert the electrical activity of neurons into signals that are processed by a computer and provide feedback to the world.
The potential of the technology is wild. It is being talked about as the possibility of bypassing damaged areas of the spinal cord to create exoskeletons, offering something like Baron Rothschild from Victor Pelevin's “KGBT+”. But for such a connection, the electrodes still need to get into the patient's brain. And now this happens through an invasive procedure to remove part of the skull. The guys from Synchron are taking a different approach.
The company started with a “minimally invasive endovascular procedure,” where the BCI is inserted into the body through the jugular vein. From there, it travels through the brain’s blood vessels until it reaches the areas of the cortex responsible for controlling movement. The chip is then deployed so that the bundle of electrodes is positioned right next to the target area of the brain.
Once implanted, the device records and wirelessly transmits signals about the brain's motor intentions, which will restore the ability of severely paralyzed people to control personal devices without using their hands.
According to company employees.
First research
In late 2021, an Australian patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) became the first person to send a text message via Twitter via a neural implant. To this day, he continues to use the system to reconnect with his family and work colleagues. The potential of the technology was discussed in an interview with the company's professor Nicholas Opie. That was when Series C funding was raised.
Now, a new patient in the US has become the first person in the world to use Apple's Vision Pro headset, which uses pupil-tracking and mind-tracking technology. Users of the system typically interact with the headset using their eyes, voice and hands. But the 64-year-old ALS patient's loss of upper limb control makes that impossible.
With Synchron BCI, the patient was able to play Solitaire, watch Apple TV, and send text messages by controlling the input with just his thoughts. Video evidence available on the project page.
BCI is a platform for reusable connectivity for people with advanced needs to the rapidly changing spectrum of consumer technology. Vision Pro is a powerful system, but it relies on hand gestures. We are sending control signals directly from the brain to replace the need for gestures. We are moving toward a new Bluetooth standard for human-computer interaction that does not require touch or speech. This is a critical unmet need for millions of people with paralysis.
Synchron founder and CEO Tom Oxley.
Instead of a conclusion
It is worth remembering that the introduction of anabolic steroids was driven by ideas about treating diseases, exhausted organisms and rebuilding bodies. But later, the technology that was supposed to help people with muscle mass deficits began to be used to expand the boundaries of the human body. What we see both in competitions and in private use.
Nootropic drugs aimed at treating diseases such as Alzheimer's disease can be used to increase a normal person's cognitive potential. To what extent do the prospects for such development lie in minimally invasive procedures with the expansion of the potential of consciousness? What will be considered personality in cyberpsychology?
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