Synchron Raises $200 Million for Brain-Computer Interface Launch
Synchron secured $200 million in funding to speed up pivotal trials and get ready to commercialize its Stentrode brain-computer interface (BCI) system.
Differences in BCI Devices
BCI companies create devices that read brain signals to enable actions like hands-free control of digital gadgets. However, their approaches vary significantly.
- Elon Musk’s Neuralink implants its device by removing part of the skull.
- Synchron’s first-generation Stentrode is implanted using a less invasive catheter procedure.
Each device balances procedural invasiveness against the quality of brain signals captured.
Electrode Comparison and Capabilities
Synchron’s Stentrode has 16 electrodes, far fewer than Neuralink’s N1 implant with 1,024 electrodes. Despite this, Synchron’s device enables severely paralyzed individuals to operate personal devices effectively.
Future Plans and Strategy
The latest Series D funding allows Synchron to maximize the current device's advantages while addressing its limitations in future models.
- Funds will accelerate pivotal trials and the Stentrode’s commercial launch.
- Development will continue on a next-generation, high-channel, whole-brain interface delivered via catheter.
- An expanding AI team in New York is training models to interpret brain data and decode thought in real time.
“Synchron’s goal is to decode thought in real time.”
Artificial intelligence plays a key role in enhancing the system’s performance and decoding capabilities.
Author’s Summary
Synchron’s $200M funding boosts development and trials of its less invasive brain interface, advancing AI-driven real-time thought decoding for paralyzed users.