The technology of brain-computer interfaces (Brain-Computer Interface, BCI) is rapidly advancing, opening new possibilities for patients with neurological disorders. It has surpassed merely restoring motor functions and has reached the point of enabling activities such as daily living and video games.
Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed BCI technology that helps patients with severe motor disabilities engage in leisure activities such as video games. The research results were published on the 21st in the international journal Nature Medicine.
BCI technology connects the brain and computers to restore physical functions or transmit human intentions to external devices. Existing BCI technology has been used to restore some motor functions in paralyzed patients, but it has had limitations in reproducing intricate movements like finger motions. Therefore, activities such as typing, playing instruments, or operating game controllers have been challenging to implement.
The research team implanted electrodes in the brains of patients suffering from quadriplegia due to spinal cord injuries and recorded neural signals related to hand movements. When patients observed the movements of a virtual hand, the neural data from their brains were analyzed using machine learning algorithms to identify signals associated with specific finger movements.
Based on this, patients with implanted electrodes were able to control a virtual drone in a video game simply by imagining moving their fingers. They successfully navigated through various obstacles in the video game, freely adjusting the speed and direction of the virtual drone.
The researchers noted, "We expect that precise control of finger movements will expand to more diverse activities such as playing instruments or computer work," and added, "Additional research is needed to reliably use BCI in complex tasks."
◇Leading corporations in BCI technology… More complex and sophisticated
Following the University of Michigan, corporations like Neuralink and Synchron are also realizing BCI technology. Neuralink, founded by Elon Musk, is developing technology that allows control of external devices through brain implant devices. On the 14th, Musk said, "We have successfully implanted the brain device in the third subject," noting that "this device has more electrodes and a longer battery life than the device implanted in the first subject about a year ago."
Neuralink aims to enable paralyzed patients to perform not only simple operations but also more complex activities such as communication and environmental control. Musk indicated plans to expand clinical trials to 20 to 30 additional subjects this year to verify the safety and effectiveness of the brain implant device.
Meanwhile, the neurotechnology corporation Synchron is challenging the commercialization of BCI technology through a non-invasive approach. The 'Stentrode' developed by Synchron is a device that is inserted through blood vessels without brain surgery, detecting brain neural signals and transmitting them to external devices. It is considered safer and has a shorter recovery time than traditional brain implants, enhancing its commercialization potential. Last year, Synchron gained significant attention by announcing that a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) successfully controlled Apple's Vision Pro and Amazon's Alexa using the Stentrode BCI.
On the 14th, Synchron unveiled a next-generation implantable BCI at the 2025 JP Morgan Healthcare Conference held in the United States, based on NVIDIA's real-time AI computing software platform 'Holoscan.' This technology enhances the speed and accuracy of processing neural data with AI, aiding patients in performing intricate tasks such as typing or computer manipulation. Synchron plans to prove the technology's stability through large-scale clinical studies.
References
Nature Medicine (2025), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-03341-8