Paradromics ' Connexus implant successfully tested: neurotechnologies reach a new level of accuracy

The American company Paradromics, specializing in the development of brain-computer interfaces (BCI), announced the first successful testing of its Connexus neuroimplant in humans. The surgical procedure for temporary implantation was performed on May 14 at the University of Michigan and was an important stage in preparation for long-term clinical trials.

The operation was performed with the consent of the patient who underwent neurosurgical intervention for epilepsy. The device was temporarily placed in the temporal lobe of the brain, an area responsible for processing auditory information and forming memory. During the experiment, the researchers confirmed that Connexus is able to record the electrical activity of individual neurons, demonstrating a high potential for use in next-generation BCI systems.

The Connexus implant is smaller than a coin and contains 420 miniature needle electrodes that are implanted directly into the brain tissue. This approach allows you to record the activity of individual neurons, in contrast to the more gentle, but less accurate technologies of competitors, such as Neuralink, Precision Neuroscience or Synchron, whose devices read generalized signals from groups of cells.

According to Matt Engle, CEO of Paradromics, it is precisely the point-based recording of signals that is crucial in deciphering patients ' speech intentions. "We don't read minds. We interpret the electrical activity associated with speech movements-even if the patient is physically unable to speak, " he said.

Interest in BCI technologies is growing rapidly against the background of recent successes in the scientific community. So, in 2023, researchers from Stanford and the University of California, San Francisco reported reaching speeds of up to 78 words per minute when transcribing speech in paralyzed patients. Paradromics plans to achieve similar results by launching clinical trials with Connexus long-term implantation for patients with paralysis by the end of 2025.

Matt Wilsey, a neurosurgeon at the University of Michigan who led the operation, noted that increasing the number of electrodes can seriously affect the performance of the interface. In the future, the company is considering installing up to four Connexus implants per patient, which will expand the amount of available neural data.

However, a key priority remains the proven safety of long-term use of the device before large-scale application of the technology begins. According to Jennifer Collinger, a BCI expert at the University of Pittsburgh, the current procedure was a "dress rehearsal" before moving on to the next stage of the clinical program.

Experts assess the Paradromics experiment as an important step in the race of neurotechnologies, which in the coming years can lead to revolutionary changes in the field of restoring communication in people with severe motor and speech disorders.