Apple is building brain-controlled tech with Synchron, and it’s exactly what it sounds like

The future of mind-controlled tech may arrive sooner than expected, and Apple wants to lead the charge. According to The Wall Street Journal, the Cupertino-based company is working with medtech startup Synchron to develop brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) that would let users control Apple devices without lifting a finger.

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It’s an ambitious move. Synchron’s BCI device, called Stentrode, is already undergoing early testing, with promising results. The startup specialises in partially invasive brain chips that sit on the brain’s surface and pick up neural signals. Apple, meanwhile, has reportedly created a new software standard that allows these signals to communicate directly with its operating systems.

Translation: think-to-type may not be far off.

Synchron’s tech isn’t just conceptual. One test subject, an ALS patient named Mark Jackson, has already used the Stentrode to control the Apple Vision Pro. This was made possible using Apple’s built-in Switch Control, a feature designed to work with assistive devices. And while interaction is currently slower than finger-based inputs, developers are optimistic, it’s still early days. 

So what makes a BCI tick?

BCIs read electrical activity in the brain, decode it, and convert it into digital commands. They range from non-invasive wearables to invasive implants like Elon Musk’s Neuralink. Synchron’s method hits a middle ground that is less risky than brain surgery, but more accurate than external sensors.

For now, Apple and Synchron are playing the long game. But even this initial integration signals a future where tapping a screen could feel as outdated as dial-up internet.

We have no commercial release date yet, and no sleek keynote demo either. But one thing’s clear that Apple is betting big on hands-free computing. And with Synchron by its side, the era of brain-first tech might arrive sooner than anyone thought.