The First Case of an Individual with ALS Accessing Amazon Alexa Using a Brain–Computer Interface System
Synchron (Melbourne, Australia) recently announced that a patient in the United States who had received the Synchron brain-computer interface (BCI) implant successfully used the Amazon Alexa (Amazon, Seattle, Washington) virtual assistant technology, marking the first demonstration of the BCI with this system. Synchron stated it is evaluating the integration of its neurotechnology with Alexa to expand the possibilities for smart-home automation, enabling patients to use their thoughts to interact with a wide range of Alexa-compatible devices without the need for voice or physical interaction with a touchscreen.
According to the company, the Synchron BCI is implanted in the blood vessel on the surface of the motor cortex of the brain via the jugular vein through an endovascular procedure. Once implanted, it is designed to detect and wirelessly transmit motor intent out of the brain. It is intended to restore the capability of severely paralyzed people to control personal devices with hands-free point-and-click.
Synchron reported that the first patient, a male (age 64 years) with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), successfully used his direct thoughts to control his smart home via the “Tap to Alexa” feature on his Amazon Fire tablet. This capability allows the patient to utilize the Synchron BCI to select customized tiles that perform preset Alexa actions—eg, turning on and off lights, making video calls, playing music and shows, controlling smart home devices, reading books on Kindle, or purchasing items on Amazon—entirely hands and voice-free.
In April 2024, the company announced the launch of the community-centered BCI Registry, which is intended to bring patients, caregivers, and clinicians together to learn how the BCI is being designed to provide benefits to people with limited mobility. More information about the device and the Synchron BCI Registry is available online at synchronbci.com.
Synchron also recently announced that the COMMAND study will be presented by Elad Levy, MD, at the Congress of Neurological Surgeons’ (CNS) 2024 annual meeting. The company further noted that Dr. Levy will be honored at the CNS meeting with the Duke Samson Award for his abstract on the trial results. Dr. Levy, who is coprincipal investigator of the COMMAND trial, is Professor of Neurosurgery, State University of New York at Buffalo, in Buffalo, New York.
The early-feasibility COMMAND trial (NCT05035823), which is being conducted in the United States under a Food and Drug Association (FDA) investigational device exemption, enrolled 6 patients. The study primarily is assessing safety. It also evaluating quantified efficacy measures of the Synchron BCI motor neuroprosthesis in patients with severe paralysis. The primary goal of the study is an assessment of the safety of the neurointerventional procedure to implant the company’s device into the blood vessels of the brain. The presentation will also be accessible on the Media page of Synchron’s website, www.synchron.com.
In total, 10 people have been implanted with the Synchron BCI (called the Stentrode), noted the company.
Neurointerventional news coverage produced in conjunction with Endovascular Today.