Controlling a computer or your phone with your mind might sound like a science fiction prospect, or even a supernatural one. However, the technology to make “mind control” a reality – not unlike using the force in the Star Wars franchise – already exists.
This is what brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) allow. By capturing brainwaves and signals from neurons, BCIs can translate them into an action, such as a scroll on a screen. These devices have been under development for decades and have received renewed attention with recent developments and new companies investing in this field.
In this article, we provide an overview of BCIs, their current state and future potential, and the challenges that lie ahead.
What are BCIs and how do they work?
In simple terms, BCIs are devices that translate brain signals into commands to control external devices. They don’t “read the mind”, but interpret neuronal signals that are usually associated with movement intention. For example, if you want to attempt to move your arm, your brain will produce corresponding signals. BCIs can capture these signals and relay them to an external device, such as an exoskeleton, to perform the desired action.
For decades, the Utah array was the centrepiece of BCI research. It is a tiny implant that features 100 electrodes that has enabled cursor movement, robotic arm controls and speech production among people with paralysis. However, it is a highly invasive device, involves a bulky setup and can degrade over time, making it unoptimised for extended use.
In recent years, a new generation of BCI-focused companies or so-called “neurotech” startups has been attempting to reshape the landscape with options that are less bulky, last longer and capture more signals with more electrodes. Among them, the most popular might be the Elon Musk-backed Neuralink. Its BCI is a coin-sized device that is implanted after removing a piece of the skull and includes over 1,000 electrodes. Paradromics’ Connexus is a similar BCI with 420 electrodes and uses biocompatible materials to last a user’s lifetime.
Source; www.paradromics.com
Synchron’s 16-electrode Stentrode adopts a less invasive approach by being inserted via the jugular vein. It is linked to a device under the wearer’s collarbone that analyses the brain signals. These are communicated to an external receiver that resides on the wearer’s chest.
In early 2025, researchers at Georgia Tech shared a new BCI approach. It involves micro-brain sensors placed between hair strands, which can capture high-fidelity signals while making unintrusive, continuous use of BCIs possible.
The different techniques of these devices show promise for the field of BCIs and their potential in healthcare, as we contemplate in the next section.
Mind power: the current potentials of BCIs in healthcare
The development of BCIs has traditionally had a healthcare focus. They have mostly resided within the realm of research, with a particular outlook to restore motion and external controls for people with impaired mobility, paralysis or conditions like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), where the patient gradually loses muscle control.
BCIs using the traditional Utah array have enabled patients to use them for several years. Nathan Copeland, who became paralysed from the chest down after a car accident, has had his implant for over ten years, setting the world record. This enabled him to control a computer and even fist-bump President Barack Obama. However, such BCIs have lasted up to 10 years in tests with monkeys and can cause adverse reactions.
The new wave of BCI companies aims to be safer, and several of them have received clearance from regulatory authorities for implanting their devices in patients. As of June 2025, Neuralink reported that “five individuals with severe paralysis are now using Neuralink to control digital and physical devices with their thoughts”.
Synchron’s trials showed no severe adverse effects among patients with paralysis after 12 months. More recently, Synchron has been able to connect a patient’s BCI with the Apple Vision Pro and an iPad, increasing their autonomy and access to entertainment.
Paradromics has received regulatory approval to conduct its Connexus BCI Clinical Study in late 2025. This will assess the clinical benefits of its BCI among patients with speech impairment due to progressive neuromuscular diseases or neural injuries with severe paralysis in all four limbs.
There are other, less hyped companies that have quietly progressed further in their clinical assessment journey. US-based BrainGate shared the findings of a successful case study in 2024. In it, a patient with ALS received their BCI implant, which was able to translate brain signals into speech with up to 97% accuracy. France-based Clinatec’s Wimagine BCI enabled a tetraplegic patient to control a four-limb exoskeleton back in 2019. In 2023, their technology restored communication between the brain and spinal cord, enabling a paraplegic patient to walk again in a natural way. They have also completed other feasibility studies to restore upper and lower limb movement.
Food for (BCI) thought: future potentials and regulatory hurdles
The momentum in the BCI space indicates a promising future, especially for those with impaired mobility. With increased clinical trials and partnerships, with tech giants in the fold, the potentials expand beyond mobility to monitoring epilepsy or ADHD to pain management and sleep assessment.
Within the tech industry, some even see BCIs as a means to achieve transhumanist ideals, with the ability to augment human functions even if you don’t have any underlying conditions. Synchron’s CEO, Tom Oxley, even expects that by the 2040s, anyone with $40,000-$50,000 to spend can get a Stentrode.
Source: www.pcmag.com
However, these devices are currently limited to research purposes, and so far, fewer than 100 people have permanent BCI implants. These devices are under intense scrutiny by authorities, especially considering the risks involved in brain surgery. For example, in the case of Neuralink, up to a dozen monkeys involved in trials suffered from complications, including brain swelling and partial paralysis. Every company developing an advanced technology must meet evidence-based guidelines, even if certain neurotech companies are treating BCIs as the latest tech product.
While neural interfaces sound like technologies from the future, gaining interest from tech enthusiasts and journalists, current invasive and surgery-dependent solutions won’t lead to widespread use. After all, if most patients cannot even download their own medical records, why would they want to get surgery to open their car with their mind?
This is why the success of BCI will inevitably demand more than just technological innovation. It will require a cultural transformation where all stakeholders collaborate to ensure an evidence-backed, ethical adoption of such technologies.
Written by Dr. Bertalan Meskó & Dr. Pranavsingh Dhunnoo
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