Neuralink rival Paradromics has applied its brain-computer interface to a human for the first time.
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Neuralink rival Paradromics has applied its brain-computer interface to a human for the first time.
Paradromics, a neurotech startup founded nearly a decade ago, has announced that it has successfully implanted its brain-computer interface (BCI) technology into a human for the first time. The company said the surgery, which was performed at the University of Michigan on May 14, was a significant milestone for the technology.
The surgery was performed during a planned brain surgery on a patient receiving treatment for epilepsy. The device, developed by Paradromics, was inserted into the patient’s brain for a short period of about 20 minutes and then successfully removed. The company said that with this procedure, it has proven that the device can be safely implanted in the human brain and successfully record neural activity.
Clinical trial underway
“We have shown that our device is best in class in terms of data and longevity in sheep, and now we have shown that it is compatible with humans. This is really exciting and is creating great excitement for our upcoming clinical trial,” Paradromics CEO and founder Matt Angle said in a statement.
The company aims to begin clinical trials on long-term safety and use in humans by the end of 2025 after receiving approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The system, called Connexus, which has not yet been commercially available, is initially expected to help people with severe motor impairments or strokes communicate via computer.
The BCI system, called Connexus, analyzes brain signals and converts them into commands that can be transmitted to external technologies. The technology developed by the company can detect the activity of individual nerve cells.
Paradromics competes with other ambitious brain-computer interface development startups such as Elon Musk’s Neuralink, Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates-backed Synchron and Precision Neuroscience.