Paradromics, a neurotechnology startup that competes with Elon Musk's Neuralink, has announced the first human implantation of its neurocomputer interface (NCI). It is the startup's first such test, CNBC reports.
The procedure took place on May 14 at the University of Michigan. The patient was a person who had already undergone neurosurgical treatment for epilepsy. The surgery itself took 20 minutes, during which the startup successfully implanted and then removed the NKI from the patient’s brain.
This procedure demonstrated that Paradromics’ neurointerface can be safely implanted in humans and used to record neural activity. The startup now plans to begin clinical trials by the end of the year, once it receives regulatory approval.
"We’ve shown in sheep that our device is best in class from a data and longevity standpoint, and now we’ve also shown that it’s compatible with humans," said Paradromics founder and CEO Matt Engle. "That’s really exciting and raises a lot of excitement for our upcoming clinical trial."
Paradromics' system is called the Connexus Brain-Comptuer Interface, and the company says it can help patients with severe motor disabilities, such as paralysis, speak through a computer. What sets Paradromics apart from other BCIs is that it can record brain activity at the level of individual neurons.
The startup’s NKI has yet to receive FDA approval and is still a long way from market launch. However, the test brings the company closer to that goal. In addition, Paradromics’ system can already be used by research institutions such as the University of Michigan for research.
As a reminder, Neuralink received approval to test its brain implant in Canada in November 2024. However, another notable player has recently appeared on the market, Starfish Technologies, which was invested in by Velve founder Gabe Newell.