Overview

• Apple and Synchron have established a Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) Human Interface Device standard, set to launch with iOS 19 and visionOS 3 this fall.
• The Synchron Stentrode, a minimally invasive brain implant, uses 16 electrodes to detect motor cortex signals and translate them into device commands.
• Mark Jackson, an ALS patient, has tested the system to control Apple devices and experience virtual reality, though navigation remains slower than conventional methods.
• The technology integrates with Apple's Switch Control accessibility feature, allowing thought-based device operation for users with severe physical impairments.
• While clinical trials continue, full FDA approval and broader commercial availability of the technology are expected to take several more years.