In great news for accessibility, Synchron has announced that it has successfully connected its brain implant to the Apple Vision Pro headphones. This means that people with limited physical mobility can now control the headphones using only their thoughts.
Synchron conducted the initial trial on a 64-year-old man with ALS who played solitaire, watched Apple TV and texted hands-free, using Synchron’s implant. The man, Synchron explained in a press releaseOtherwise he would not be able to use the headset because his loss of upper limb function meant he could not complete the hand gestures required to use Vision Pro.
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Synchron’s brain-computer interface, or BCI, has been implanted in At least six American patientsThe device is inserted through the jugular vein and targets blood vessels on the surface of the brain, meaning it does not require surgery. An antenna is placed under the skin of the user’s chest.
While this alone is an incredible feat, the future implications are even greater. Entirely new technological fields will be open to millions of people who cannot use their limbs or their voice.
“Using this type of augmented reality has a huge impact,” said Mark, the man who received the implant, “and I can imagine it would have an impact on other people in my situation or others who have lost the ability to participate in their daily lives.”
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Tom Oxley, CEO and founder of Synchron, highlighted how this technology could connect people with injuries or illnesses to today’s rapidly evolving technology. “This is a critical unmet need,” he said, “for millions of people with paralysis.”
If this development is further used, it could also mean a boost for VR and AR headsets. The Vision Pro has struggled to gain traction (Maybe because of its price), but it could find more customers if it offered more accessibility features and more potentially life-changing apps.
Speaking to CNBCOxley said his company will likely incorporate this technology into other headsets over time.