iOS gadgets can now be controlled with your mind

Apple, together with Synchron, has shown how iOS gadgets can be controlled without hands, voice, or eyes – just with the power of thought.

This is the first public example of the brain-computer interaction (BCI) system on iPadOS 26. Although Synchron’s development is still far from Elon Musk’s Neuralink, companies have already talked aboutmember Mark Jackson (diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). It was he who showed how he uses his “brain-computer” to open apps, write messages, and control his iPad without touching the screen at all.

Synchron claims that Mark was the first in the world to fully control an iPad with his mind using Apple’s new BCI HID protocol. The system works in such a way that brain signals are converted into commands for the device, as if you were touching the screen with your finger or speaking with your voice. The signals through iOS are still able to “see” the screen and transmit information back to the brain or interface to better understand what the user wants.

The signals from the brain are transmitted through a Stentrode implant, which is placed directly into a blood vessel near the motor cortex. The surgery is minimally invasive: the implant is inserted through the jugular vein in the neck. The signals are read and sent to the iPad via a wireless transmitter and processed by the Switch Control system.

The new system is already available in iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and other updates. So far, it has been limitedly distributed among users, but Apple is already testing it in real-world conditions. According to Synchron, ten people in the United States and Australia have received the implant — all of them are participating in FDA-approved trials.

Unlike Neuralink’s approach, which requires open brain surgery, Synchron’s option is much safer and simpler. Although Neuralink is still more widespread: a record 4096 electrodes were implanted. In addition to them, there is a third competitor: Gabe Newell, who wants to release Steam Deck in his head. However, the security of the operation makes Synchron a real candidate for faster spread among people. But not without nuances: Apple has not yet publicly presented the technology.

Source: 9to5mac