The Board, Research Advisory Committee and team of NFMRI congratulate Prof. Nicholas Opie for the recent advancements and achievements with his human brain to computer interface device. Prof. Opie’s project received funding in 2017- 2018 from the NFMRI to support safety validation of the StentrodeTM, which was developed in partnership with Prof. Thomas Oxley at The University of Melbourne.
The StentrodeTM is an endovascular brain-computer interface that can record electrical neural signals from within a blood vessel. This technology is designed to restore instrumental activities of daily living in people with paralysis by sensing brain activity and translating these signals into discrete electrical commands which enable direct brain control of computers and assistive technology.
This research eventually led to the formation of the spin-off Synchron, a neurovascular bioelectronics medicine company, which Prof. Opie co-founded together with Prof. Oxley. Synchron is pioneering the development of Neuro Electrophysiology (NEP) solutions for a range of neurological conditions. The development of this technology platform was enabled by early funding from the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), among other competitive Australian grants. Synchron has raised over AU$215 million since the company formation, and it is now valued at approximately AU$1.5 billion.
The StentrodeTM has also been granted Breakthrough Device designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a status reserved for innovative solutions addressing irreversibly debilitating conditions. Prof. Nicholas Opie was further recognised in 2022 by NFMRI as the recipient of its Dr. John Raftos AM Medal, which came with a $50,000 prize to further advance his research.
“This innovation has gone through leaps and bounds, achieving tremendous success in a relatively short amount of time and is at the forefront of providing community benefits,” said Dr. Noel Chambers, CEO of the NFMRI. He added “this is success story is a paragon of what NFMRI aims to achieve”.
Below you will see a first-hand demonstration on video of this breakthrough device demonstration and further you can read the recent BusinessWire article published on 4 August 2025.
Synchron Debuts First Thought-Controlled iPad Experience Using Apple’s New BCI Human Interface Device Protocol
4 August 2025, 8:00am Eastern Daylight Time
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Synchron, a category-defining brain-computer interface (BCI) company, today released the first-ever public demonstration of an individual using an iPad controlled entirely by thought, leveraging Apple’s built-in accessibility features and new Brain-Computer Interface Human Interface Device (BCI HID) protocol.
The video features Mark, a participant in Synchron’s COMMAND clinical study and a person living with ALS, who uses the company’s implantable BCI to navigate the iPad home screen, open apps, and compose text all without using his hands, voice, or eyes.
This moment follows Apple’s announcement in May of a new BCI Human Interface Device (BCI HID) input protocol. With the new protocol, Apple’s operating systems can leverage brain signals as a native input method for the first time.
“This is the first time the world has seen native, thought-driven control of an Apple device in action,” said Dr. Tom Oxley, CEO and Founder, Synchron. “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.”
Mark’s use of the iPad is enabled by Apple’s built-in accessibility feature, Switch Control, and Synchron’s Stentrode™ device, which detects motor intention from blood vessels within the brain. These signals are wirelessly transmitted to an external decoder, which interfaces directly with iPadOS through the new HID protocol. The system allows for closed-loop communication, where an iPad, iPhone or Apple Vision Pro shares contextual screen data with the BCI decoder to optimize real-time performance, enabling precise, intuitive control using just neural signals.
“When I lost the use of my hands, I thought I had lost my independence,” said Mark. “Now, with my iPad, I can message my loved ones, read the news, and stay connected with the world, just by thinking. It’s given me part of my life back.”
Synchron was the first company to bring a permanently implantable BCI into clinical trials, and its endovascular approach avoids open brain surgery, making it uniquely positioned for real-world scalability.
Today’s demonstration marks a major advancement in assistive technology and a glimpse at the future of human-computer interaction. Synchron is continuing controlled rollouts of the BCI HID experience with clinical participants, with broader availability to come.
This marks a critical step in making BCI technology practical, scalable, and integrated into the global consumer ecosystem, moving beyond clinical trials into everyday life.
For more information and to view the video, visit our YouTube channel.
About Synchron
Synchron is the category-defining brain-computer interface (BCI) company pioneering implantable neurotechnology designed to restore autonomy and improve lives. Its mission is to bring the first commercially scalable BCI to millions of people with motor impairment. Synchron has completed two human clinical trials since 2019 and is preparing for a larger-scale study. The company’s implantable BCI is now powered by Chiral AI™, a proprietary foundation model of cognition. With the BCI market projected to reach $400 billion (Morgan Stanley), Synchron is leading the field while prioritizing ethical development grounded in Cognitive Liberty and the protection of fundamental rights. Synchron is headquartered in New York. Learn more at synchron.com and follow @synchroninc.