Clinical trialsImplants
First patient implanted in Newronika's pivotal trial of adaptive deep brain stimulation
The ADVENT study will compare adaptive and conventional DBS in 104 people with Parkinson's disease across the US and Europe.
News
Neurotech news, explained
The developments that matter in BCIs and neurotechnology, with context and links to the original sources.
September 2026
- FundingImplants
Precision Neuroscience raises $250M to take its thin-film brain interface toward market
The Series D values the maker of the Layer 7 Cortical Interface at about $1 billion and brings its total funding to $430 million.
- RegulationImplants
CorTec's Brain Interchange earns a second FDA Breakthrough designation, for communication
After stroke rehabilitation, the implant is now recognized for helping people with quadriplegia control a computer cursor with brain signals.
- ImplantsClinical trials
Neuralink shows a VOICE trial participant producing speech from brain signals
A participant with ALS used the N1 implant to generate synthesized speech in a voice rebuilt from earlier recordings. No peer-reviewed data has been published.
- ImplantsClinical trials
Paradromics' first trial participant speaks in real time, including on a call with family
Three months after implantation, the Connexus BCI let a woman with motor neuron disease answer open-ended questions and talk with her grandchildren.
- ResearchImplants
UCSF brain implant lets people with paralysis speak and gesture through an avatar at the same time
Edward Chang's team decoded concurrent speech and upper-body gestures, a step toward more natural, expressive communication BCIs.
- Non-invasiveResearch
Merge Labs signs ultrasound-chip deal with Butterfly Network
Sam Altman's BCI start-up will use Butterfly's Ultrasound-on-Chip technology under an exclusive multi-year license to build ultrasound-based brain interfaces.
August 2026
- FundingNon-invasive
China's Gestala raises $84 million for ultrasound-based brain interfaces
The Chengdu-based start-up, co-founded by Shanda Group's Tianqiao Chen, raised two rounds in six months to build non-invasive 'read and write' BCIs.
- FundingResearch
Bill Ackman commits $400 million to a new brain research institute in New York
The Ackman Oxman Institute will focus on brain research, rehabilitation and longevity, with Mount Sinai as a clinical partner.
July 2026
- RegulationImplants
Science Corp. launches PRIMA retinal implant in Europe after CE mark
The wireless retinal chip, approved for vision loss from geographic atrophy, can now be sold across 30 European countries; US approval is still pending.
- ImplantsResearch
Ability Neurotech records from the human brain for the first time
In an intraoperative study at TU Munich, the start-up's batteryless BCI technology captured brain signals from patients undergoing brain tumor surgery.
- ResearchImplants
'Double neural bypass' helps man with complete tetraplegia drink and feed himself
Feinstein Institutes researchers combined a brain implant with spinal and sensory-cortex stimulation to restore arm and hand movement and a sense of touch.
- ImplantsRegulation
China performs first commercial implant of an approved brain-computer interface
Shanghai's Huashan Hospital implanted Neuracle's NEO, the first invasive BCI cleared for sale anywhere, in a man with tetraplegia.
June 2026
- ImplantsClinical trials
Paradromics implants its first trial participant with the Connexus speech BCI
Surgeons at University of Michigan Health implanted the wireless device in a woman with motor neuron disease, starting the six-year Connect-One study.
- ResearchImplants
Man with ALS uses a speech BCI independently at home for nearly two years
In Nature Medicine, UC Davis researchers report 99% word accuracy and more than 3,800 hours of home use, including for work, without researchers present.
- ResearchNon-invasive
Yale BCI works with the brain's natural patterns, cutting training to under an hour
Using real-time fMRI, researchers showed people learn a brain-computer interface much faster when it is matched to each person's existing patterns of brain activity.
May 2026
- RegulationImplants
NeuroPace wins FDA approval for AI tool that reviews brain recordings from its epilepsy implant
ECoG Assistant flags important intracranial EEG recordings from the RNS System, built on more than 124,000 expert-labeled records.
- Policy & ethicsRegulation
Vermont signs first standalone US law on 'neurological rights'
H.814 recognizes mental and neural data privacy and freedom of thought, and limits how neurotechnology can access or alter brain activity.
April 2026
- ImplantsClinical trials
Stroke patient plays Pong by thought with CorTec's rehabilitation implant
The same fully implanted Brain Interchange device used to stimulate the brain for stroke recovery also decoded the participant's intentions to control a computer.
- RegulationClinical trials
FDA lets Motif Neurotech start trial of a blueberry-sized implant for depression
The RESONATE study will test Motif's wirelessly powered stimulator, which sits in the skull above the brain, in people with treatment-resistant depression.
- ImplantsResearch
Epia Neuro launches with a skull-mounted brain implant for stroke recovery
The San Francisco start-up, led by former iota Biosciences CEO Michel Maharbiz, pairs a brain interface with a motorized glove to help stroke survivors regain hand function.
January 2026
- ImplantsClinical trials
Neuralink reports 21 people implanted across its trials
The company's participant count has nearly doubled since September 2025, with studies spanning cursor control, robotic arms, speech and vision.
- FundingNon-invasive
Sam Altman's Merge Labs launches with $252M to build non-invasive brain interfaces
OpenAI is the largest investor in the seed round, led by Bain Capital. The start-up is betting on ultrasound and molecular tools instead of electrodes.
December 2025
- RegulationNeuromodulation
FDA approves Flow's headset as the first at-home brain stimulation treatment for depression
The FL-100 tDCS headset can be prescribed for moderate to severe major depression, alone or alongside medication, with US launch expected in 2026.
In brief
- FundingConsumer
Neurable raises $35 million to put brain-sensing AI into everyday headphones
- IndustryNon-invasive
Insightec spins out Lotus Neuro to deliver drugs across the blood-brain barrier with ultrasound
- RegulationNeuromodulation
PathMaker's non-invasive stimulation device gets FDA Breakthrough designation for ALS
- FundingNeuromodulation
NeuroBionics raises $10 million for hair-thin fibers that stimulate nerves through blood vessels
- FundingResearch
Astera launches a $600 million neuroscience program led by Doris Tsao
- IndustryRegulation
Neuralink hires the FDA's top neurological device regulator to lead medical affairs
- ResearchImplants
Columbia's BISC implant puts 65,536 electrodes on a single paper-thin chip
- RegulationNeuromodulation
After 22 years, Medtronic's DBS gains full FDA approval for dystonia
- FundingNeuromodulation
Closed-loop spinal stimulation maker Saluda Medical raises about US$150 million in ASX IPO
- RegulationNon-invasive
Natus point-of-care EEG cleared to help diagnose status epilepticus
November 2025
- RegulationClinical trials
Paradromics gets FDA approval to start a speech-restoration trial
The Connexus high-data-rate implant can now begin a clinical study in people who have lost the ability to speak.
- FundingClinical trials
Synchron raises $200M to run a pivotal trial of its blood-vessel BCI
The Series D funds the study Synchron needs before it can ask the FDA for full market approval of the Stentrode.
- Policy & ethicsRegulation
UNESCO adopts the first global ethical standard for neurotechnology
All 194 member states approved a Recommendation that protects mental privacy and neural data and limits uses on children, at work and in consumer products.
In brief
- Clinical trialsNeuromodulation
Inner Cosmos reports early results for its skull-embedded depression implant
- Policy & ethicsFunding
ARPA-H commits up to $100 million to objective measures for mental health treatment
- RegulationNon-invasive
QuantalX wins FDA De Novo for a TMS-EEG test of brain function
- RegulationNeuromodulation
FDA clears first focused-ultrasound device for chronic low back pain
- FundingNon-invasive
Beacon Biosignals raises $86 million to build AI brain biomarkers from home EEG
- RegulationNeuromodulation
BrainsWay's Deep TMS cleared for depression in people aged 15 to 21
- RegulationNeuromodulation
Magstim gets FDA clearance to use magnetic stimulation for chronic pain
- FundingResearch
Modulight raises $12 million to develop an optogenetic therapy for nerve pain
- FundingConsumer
NextSense raises $16 million to launch EEG earbuds for sleep
- IndustryImplants
INBRAIN partners with Microsoft to bring AI agents to graphene brain interfaces
- RegulationNeuromodulation
FDA approves pivotal US study of PRECISIS' under-the-scalp epilepsy stimulator
- FundingImplants
Paralysis-focused fund SCI Ventures invests in Precision Neuroscience
- ResearchImplants
Cornell's salt-grain-sized implant records brain activity wirelessly for a year in mice
October 2025
- ResearchImplants
Retinal implant restores reading vision in people with advanced macular degeneration, NEJM study finds
In the PRIMAvera trial, 81% of participants had a meaningful gain in visual acuity at one year with Science Corp.'s PRIMA system.
In brief
- Research
Rice University launches a Brain Institute spanning neuroengineering and neuroscience
- NeuromodulationResearch
55,000-patient study supports early use of Theranica's migraine wearable
- ImplantsClinical trials
First UK Neuralink patient controls a computer by thought hours after surgery
- RegulationNeuromodulation
Neuromod's Lenire tinnitus device gains EU MDR and MDSAP certification
- FundingNeuromodulation
ONWARD Medical raises more than €50 million to advance spinal cord stimulation therapies
- ResearchImplants
Synchron's blood-vessel implant can detect eye movements from brain signals
- FundingNeuromodulation
Ampa raises $8.5 million and rolls out a portable TMS system for depression
- FundingNon-invasive
CoMind raises $102.5 million for a non-invasive bedside brain monitor
- IndustryNeuromodulation
Boston Scientific to acquire nerve stimulation maker Nalu Medical for $533 million
- RegulationPolicy & ethics
UK to fast-track FDA-cleared medical devices under new US collaboration
- NeuromodulationResearch
Study links Cala's wrist stimulation for tremor to changes in deep brain activity
- ResearchImplants
Paradromics reports 200+ bits per second in a new BCI benchmark
- ResearchImplants
Precision Neuroscience details its minimally invasive surface implant in Nature Biomedical Engineering
- Non-invasiveClinical trials
Cognixion starts study pairing its EEG headset with Apple Vision Pro
September 2025
- Policy & ethicsRegulation
US senators introduce the MIND Act to study protections for neural data
The bill would have the FTC review how brain and nervous-system data is collected and used, as more states pass their own neural privacy laws.
- ConsumerNon-invasive
Meta's Neural Band puts a wrist-worn neural interface in consumers' hands
The EMG wristband that ships with Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses reads muscle signals to turn tiny finger movements into commands.
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