To be able to manage important aspects of my environment and control access to entertainment gives me back the independence that I’m losing.”

A man with ALS became the first person to control an Amazon Alexa with his thoughts via an implanted brain-computer interface.

Mark, a 64-year-old man who has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), recently became the first to control his smart home devices via Alexa with just his thoughts. Mark was able to use Synchron’s BCI technology to access the Tap to Alexa feature on his Amazon Fire tablet,

Neuralink rival Synchron is connecting its brain–computer interface with consumer technologies to allow people with paralysis more functionality.

Synchron is one of several companies working to make brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) a reality. Earlier this summer, Synchron revealed one of its study participants could use the Apple Vision Pro VR headset thanks to the Synchron implant.

A 64-year-old ALS patient successfully controlled Alexa using his thoughts through a brain implant, allowing him to perform tasks like making video calls, playing music, and operating smart home devices.