The first human brain-computer implant is ready in the US
The first human brain-computer interface has been implanted and may be a significant step in helping paralyzed patients
Synchron, the US-based leading implantable brain computer interface company, has recently announced that it has developed the first human brain-computer interface (BCI) in the USA.
The company claims that it can be inserted into the body using an endovascular BCI approach, meaning that it does not require an invasive brain surgery in order to be implanted.
The first procedure has already taken place. The operation took place at Mount Sinai West in New York, USA and was performed by clinical investigator Shahram Majidi (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA).
This was a landmark event in the history of medicine, because it is the first the first US patient implant in Synchron’s COMMAND trial.
The purpose of the trial is to examine the safety and efficiency of Synchron’s motor BCI technology platform in patients with severe paralysis. The purpose of the implant would be to help patients with this condition to control digital devices hands-free.
Shahram Majidi, the doctor conducting the procedure, noted that the implantation had been completed successfully and the patient was discharged within 48 hours after the surgery.
David Putrino, principal investigator of the COMMAND study, noted: ‘The first in-human implant of an endovascular BCI in the USA is a major clinical milestone that opens up new possibilities for patients with paralysis.’
