For the first time, an individual has been seen publicly controlling an iPad entirely through thought, thanks to Apple's new brain-computer interface (BCI) protocol and Synchron's implantable Stentrode device.
A new video from Synchron shows how Mark, a participant in the company's COMMAND clinical study and a person living with ALS, can navigate the iPad's Home Screen, launch apps, and compose text, all without moving his hands, speaking, or using his eyes.
Mark's control of the iPad is powered by a combination of Apple's accessibility feature "Switch Control" and the Stentrode BCI, which is implanted into a blood vessel above the brain's motor cortex. The endovascular implant captures neural signals related to motor intent and wirelessly transmits them to an external decoder. That decoder interfaces directly with iPadOS through Apple's BCI HID standard.
The BCI HID protocol enables closed-loop communication between Apple devices and Synchron's technology, with the system dynamically sharing contextual on-screen data to optimize performance and responsiveness. Dr. Tom Oxley, Synchron's founder and CEO said:
This is the first time the world has seen native, thought-driven control of an Apple device in action. Mark's experience is a technical breakthrough, and a glimpse into the future of human-computer interaction, where cognitive input becomes a mainstream mode of control.
Apple first collaborated with Synchron in early pilot projects using Apple Vision Pro, which Mark controlled through thought in 2024. The integration then expanded to iPhones and iPads, with support built into Apple's accessibility frameworks. Apple is expected to roll out broader support for the BCI HID protocol across its platforms later in 2025.
Synchron has now implanted its Stentrode in 10 patients across the United States and Australia, under FDA's investigational device exemption. Unlike Neuralink's more invasive N1 chip, which embeds electrodes directly into brain tissue, Synchron's approach avoids open-brain surgery, relying on a safer, catheter-based procedure through the jugular vein.
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