While the world looks at Neuralink, Synchron shows how to pilot an iPad by thought

Neuralink is not the only company to go to clinical trials for brain implants. Synchron, the main rival of Neuralink, has just published a new video of a patient equipped with his Stentrode implant. This manipulates an iPad, thanks to a new feature introduced with iPados 26.

For its implant, Synchron uses a very different approach, and much less invasive, than that of Neuralink. Where Elon Musk’s implant uses 1,024 electrodes spread over 16 wires located directly in the brain, the Sentrode uses 16 electrodes on a stent. It is inserted at the jugular vein, then positioned in a vein at the engine cortex.

This thus avoids any intervention directly in the brain, as well as the problem of disconnecting the threads experienced by the implant of Neuralink. The stentrode is directly connected to a small case placed at the top of the chest, which transmits the data to another wireless case connected to a computer, or in this case an iPad.

A new native feature for Apple devices

If the amount of data thus obtained is naturally lower, it seems sufficient to control mobile devices, as shown in this new video with an iPad. Apple announced in the spring that version 26 of iOS, iPados, MacOS and Visionos will integrate the native management of brain-computer interfaces. It is therefore not a third -party application that could experience compatibility problems after an update. The functionality is directly integrated into the operating system, giving access to the entire machine.

The patient shown in the video is called Mark Jackson, suffering from Charcot disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). He received his implant in 2023. It was previously possible to connect to an iPad, but the system had to be configured first and the actions were limited.

A new era for brain-computer interfaces?

With Apple’s official support, he can “navigate the iPad home screen, open applications and write text without using his hands, voice or eyes,” said Synchron. He can even create shortcuts based on certain movements, for example when he thinks of tapping with his index, this brings him back to the reception.

And it is not limited to the stentrode. Synchron was the first to show a patient to use this now native functionality of the iPad, but all other companies should also be able to use it, including Neuralink. The management of brain-computer interfaces should be available with the release of iOS 26, expected for the month of September, on all compatible Apple devices.

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