Apple enters brain-computer interface era with new accessibility tech

Apple enters brain-computer interface era with new accessibility tech

Apple is entering the arena of brain-computer interface (BCI) technology with an announcement of a new standard that will one day enable people to control iPhones, iPads, and even the Vision Pro headset with their neural signals—not by moving hands or touching a device. The technology represents a huge step forward in making its ecosystem accessible for individuals with very severe motor disabilities, including ALS or spinal injuries, the Wall Street Journal reported.

From mind to action: How it works

At the core of Apple’s initiative is a partnership with Synchron, a US-based startup developing a minimally invasive neural implant known as the Stentrode. Unlike Elon Musk’s Neuralink, which places more than 1,000 electrodes directly inside the brain, Synchron’s device is implanted in a vein near the motor cortex and contains 16 electrodes. These pick up brain signals and translate them into digital actions, such as navigating a phone screen or selecting an icon.

The system is integrated with Apple's existing Switch Control feature of its accessibility collection, which enables users to control devices using alternative input modes such as joysticks or head motion. That system is now able to also receive inputs from a person's brain.

One of the initial users, Mark Jackson, who has ALS and is unable to move or travel, has started using the Stentrode to operate Apple devices from his home near Pittsburgh. While wearing Apple's Vision Pro headset, Jackson was transported virtually to the Swiss Alps. He couldn't stand physically, but he felt his legs shake as he stood on a virtual ledge—thanks to the neural link between his implant and Apple's mixed-reality system.

A new user interface is born

Up until now, BCI developers have been forced to trick computers into taking brain signals as inputs from a keyboard or mouse. Apple's new software standard—due to appear later this year—does away with it. It supplies a native environment for developers to build apps and experiences that are natively compatible with brain implants. That creates space for quicker, more fluid interactions that are specifically optimized for thought-based control.

Where Synchron's system enables rudimentary screen navigation, the process is still slower and more restricted than the usual device use. The Stentrode can't yet replicate a floating cursor or simulate smooth gestures on a touchscreen. Yet it's a step toward hands-free digital control for the mobility-impaired—and a preview of things to come.

Neuralink's faster, deeper approach

Elon Musk's Neuralink, however, has adopted a more invasive route by inserting thousands of electrodes within the brain to capture more detailed data. Its first human subject has already shown quicker cursor movement than others can with a mouse. Neuralink's system is also capable of deciphering brain signals into clicks and keyboard inputs, more nuanced control potentially in the near term.

Musk has marketed Neuralink as a device not only for accessibility, but for cognitive enhancement—allowing average individuals to keep pace with the speed and sophistication of artificial intelligence systems.

The path to commercialisation

As estimated by Morgan Stanley, 150,000 Americans who have severe upper-limb impairments may be among the first to adopt BCIs. The company foresees the first US commercial approval of a brain-computer interface by 2030, although Synchron CEO Tom Oxley believes that his company might achieve this earlier.

Synchron has already implanted devices in 10 patients since 2019 with promising safety outcomes. Apple's public adoption of the technology could speed industry momentum, particularly by offering a standardized software platform for BCI developers.

Apple's entry into brain-computer interfaces marks a fundamental change in human-device interaction. Although technology is nascent, Apple's entry sets the stage for the day when people can control their digital lives by mere thoughts. Apple's strong focus on accessibility and its enormity of devices make it an influential force behind the future of neurotechnology.