Brain-computer interface (BCI) company Synchron has announced the integration of OpenAI's generative AI into its BCI platform, introducing a new chat feature.
“Our users have lost the ability to make choices due to neurological disorders. Generative AI can offer predictions that are contextual to your environment, and the BCI enables individual choices to be made. BCIs preserve and extend a fundamental human right: the freedom of expression. We take our autonomy for granted, until it is gone. This is a pivotal moment at the convergence of powerful technologies that can restore lives,” said Tom Oxley, CEO & Founder, Synchron.
Leveraging OpenAI's cutting-edge generative AI, Synchron enhances its BCI technology, allowing individuals with severe paralysis and upper limb immobility to engage with the digital world using thought alone, without the need for physical movement.
The newly integrated BCI chat feature, powered by OpenAI, is user-friendly and intuitive. It can generate automated chat prompts based on contextual inputs, including the user's emotional state. This innovation underscores Synchron's dedication to patient-centric advancements in neurotechnology. Importantly, Synchron ensures that no brain data from BCI users is shared with OpenAI.
OpenAI’s multimodal GPT generates both text and audio content, streamlining more natural and real-time interactions between humans and AI. This is particularly beneficial for individuals with neurological disorders, who may struggle to produce complex, context-aware responses.
How does it work?
The Synchron BCI is implanted in a blood vessel on the surface of the motor cortex of the brain via the jugular vein through a minimally invasive endovascular procedure. Once implanted, it detects and wirelessly transmits motor intent from the brain, enabling severely paralyzed individuals to control personal devices hands-free using point-and-click commands.
The enhanced BCI platform allows users to text more efficiently with quicker response times and natural conversational flow. These improvements will benefit a broad spectrum of users, including those with upper limb mobility impairments and other neurological conditions. Synchron's mission is to develop a premier commercial BCI that helps millions of people worldwide with upper limb impairments to stay connected with the world.
