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Implant lets people type on virtual keyboards with just brain signals

A company called Synchron, backed by Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, may become the first to commercialise a brain implant that lets people control touchscreen devices using brain signals

30 August 2023

91av. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine. — The “Stentrode” brain implant
Synchron

Rodney Gorham, a 63-year-old Australian, has always been a music fan. In a recent WhatsApp conversation with 91av, he shared his thoughts on his most memorable live event – “AC/DC in their prime”. But more remarkable than that concert is the implant that allows Gorham to communicate even though he has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which has paralysed much of his body and left him unable to speak.

The race to commercialise brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) is gathering pace, and one company – Synchron – is leading the way. Backed by investments from Bill Gates…

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