Apple working on brain implant to let users control devices with just their thoughts

Apple is set to develop a brain implant chip (aka a ‘category-defining brain-computer interface’ in tech terms) that will allow users to control their iPhone, iPad and Apple Vision Pro with just their thoughts.

On 13 May, Apple unveiled a new innovation – partnering with neurotech company Synchron to make its devices more accessible to disabled users.

At the heart of the project is the Stentrode, a brain implant inserted into a vein near the motor cortex. Once in place, it can read neural signals and translate them into movement on Apple devices.

Back in 2019, Synchron became the first brain-computer interface company to begin clinical trials of a permanently implantable system.

Uniquely, the device is inserted through the blood vessels, bypassing the need for open brain surgery. This less invasive approach makes it one of the most scalable neural interface technologies currently in development.

“This marks a defining moment for human-device interaction. BCI is more than an accessibility tool, it’s a next-generation interface layer,” Dr Tom Oxley, CEO and Co-Founder, Synchron, said in a press release.

“Apple is helping to pioneer a new interface paradigm, where brain signals are formally recognized alongside touch, voice and typing. With BCI recognized as a native input for Apple devices, there are new possibilities for people living with paralysis and beyond.”