Poetry Camera makes and prints poems about the people, objects, and surroundings it photographs using AI. Reminiscent of an instant camera, there’s a large, protruding camera lens on the boxy frame, which scans the subject. Below it, there’s a slit where the receipt-like paper prints out the poems that the AI Poetry Camera digitally pens. The design looks comical with the sizeable shutter button and viewfinder, but there’s also a nostalgic sense about it, knowing that it gives the user stanzas on a piece of paper rather than projecting them on a screen.

The AI language model that the Poetry Camera uses is from Anthropic named Claude 4. It’s the reason the device can write poems almost instantly using literary language. The user can choose the type of AI-generated poem they want, from haiku, sonnet, and limerick to alliteration and free verse, using the built-in knob. So far, the images and poems aren’t stored digitally on the Poetry Camera, meaning that the only copy the user has is the printed receipt.

all images courtesy of Poetry Camera | photo by Kaylee Pugliese/RISD

Device needs wifi connection to work

Kelin Zhang and Ryan Mather, the masterminds behind the Poetry Camera, have a ‘microfactory’ in New York where they assemble the device by hand. It’s a small team because they want to individually piece the parts together to add their personal touch to the end result. The frame is made of vacuum-cast plastic housings, and the device runs on a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W with a Raspberry Pi Camera Module 3. There’s a catch, however. The device can’t work without a WiFi connection. It relies on it to make the language model work and start churning out AI-made poems. The team says that the Poetry Camera that can write poems doesn’t train the AI model it uses. About Anthropic’s Claude 4, they add that they ‘care to pick reputable AI model providers that do not train on your data.’ 

The design team says that the device is a toy for creative expression. Ryan Mather shares with designboom that he and Kelin Zhang choose printed poetry instead of photos ‘to invite you to slow down and appreciate the world around you. It’s kind of like how people tend to prefer the book version of a movie more than the movie version because their memories and imagination feel more personal and special.’ For those who are crafty, they can build the device on their own, as Kelin Zhang and Ryan Mather make it open-source. In case the user isn’t so handy, they can just order the Poetry Camera and allow it to write and print the poems on a piece of paper.

there’s a slit below the lens where the receipt-like paper prints out the poems

sample AI-generated poem by the device

the design team says that the device is a toy for creative expression

the frame is made of vacuum-cast plastic housings

the AI language model that the Poetry Camera uses is from Anthropic named Claude 4

the team assembles the parts by hand in New York

view of the poem printed on a receipt-like paper | photo by Sam McAllister / Anthropic

first test assembly with the new mainboard

view of the redesigned camera with a knob that lets users choose the type of poem they want

project info:

name: Poetry Camera | @poetry.camera

design: Kelin Zhang, Ryan Mather

research: Anthropic | @anthropicai

language model: Claude 4

files: here

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Snap Inc. has announced the release of its new lightweight AR glasses with see-through lenses that double as a wearable computer. Unveiled at the Augmented World Expo 2025, the immersive Specs is slated for a 2026 release with a slew of features as part of the upcoming Snap OS update. With the Snap AR glasses and their see-through lenses, users can translate 2D information into 3D floating objects before their eyes using the integrated language models, including OpenAI and Gemini. There’s also a real-time transcription for around 40 languages, and it can understand even the non-native accents with ‘high accuracy.’ For developers, they can generate 3D objects while they’re wearing the glasses and remotely monitor and manage multiple pairs of Specs.

In line with the recent announcement, the Snap Spectacles, which are a pair of AR glasses, also have lenses that generate the images and sounds of the book the user is reading. Named Augmented Reading Lenses, it’s a collaboration between the National Library Board of Singapore and Snap Inc., with LePub Singapore as the campaign’s production lead. These Snap AR glasses and lenses use real-time OCR, or the conversion of typed text into a digital format, and generative AI to produce the visuals. The device already has stereo speakers, so the soundscapes are a natural addition to the reading experience.

all images courtesy of Snap Inc. as well as National Library Board of Singapore and LePub Singapore

Sounds play as the user reads the text

The Snap AR glasses and lenses use text recognition and machine learning to see the content the user is reading and activate the related visuals and sounds. First, the device scans the printed text as the user reads. Then, the images float before their eyes, accompanied by the sound effects linked to specific words or scenes. In this case, when the book describes a kind of environmental or action sound, like doors opening, the Snap AR glasses with these new lenses play that audio right into the speakers. 

So far, the company and the library say that the visuals appear in time for what the user is reading. Once they look up from the page, they can see the images depicted in the text in their field of vision. The National Library Board of Singapore adds that the project is a part of its initiative to use technology as a way to engage more people to read books. The teams have collaborated with LeGarage, the innovation branch of LePub Singapore, to help develop the reading experience and campaign of the Snap AR glasses and lenses. At the present time, they plan to roll out the beta-testing devices later in 2025 in Singapore to gather feedback before the public rollout.

The story was updated on June 11th, 2025, to include the announcement on the 2026 Specs AR glasses.

Snap Inc. has announced the release of its new lightweight AR glasses that double as a wearable computer

the device has see-through lenses for sharper and clearer viewing

the device uses real-time OCR and generative AI to produce the visuals and sounds

users can also interact with the floating imagery, based on what they’re reading

sample visuals when the user reads Pride and Prejudice

even Frankenstein shows up as a generated visual

the device already has stereo speakers, so the soundscapes are present

the images and sounds appear as the user reads

users can see the images depicted in the text in their field of vision

the beta testing rolls out later in 2025

project info:

name: Augmented Reading Lenses

companies: Snap Inc., Snap AR Studio, LePub Singapore | @spectacles, @lepub_worldwide

library: National Library Board of Singapore | @nlbsingapore

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: matthew burgos | designboom

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Researchers at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, have run their first trial of an interactive game that trains people to change their brain waves and relieve their pain without using any drugs. Named PainWave, the video game aims to alleviate people’s chronic and nerve pain. It’s a neurofeedback system, which means it uses people’s brain’s activity to help them learn to control it. It is basically a game where their brain is the controller and they are the player at the same time. The system has two main parts: a 3D printed headset and the interactive game that acts as a pain reliever, played on a tablet.

The 3D printed headset picks up the user’s electrical signals called brainwaves. The device then sends the brainwave information to the app as the user plays, and the app translates the data into visuals researchers or personnel can see on the tablet. As an example, the water in the under-the-sea interactive game slash drug-free pain reliever can change color when the user starts to feel calm. In this way, researchers can see how people’s brain activity changes as they play. With these changes, the researchers find out that the brain can produce certain patterns that, over time, alter the brain activity and help them feel less pain without using any drugs.

all images courtesy of University of New South Wales | photo by Elva Darnell

3D printed headset uses water-based system for signals

The first small study of PainWaive has shown the researchers – coming from the University of New South Wales, the University of Technology Sydney, Charles Sturt University, the University of South Australia, and the University of Washington – positive results. In their trial, four people used the system, and their pain levels were tracked for four weeks. Three out of the four participants reported a major decrease in their pain, especially towards the end of the treatment. The pain relief they experienced was similar to, or even better than, as the researchers describe, what some people get from strong pain medications like opioids. The research team could also keep an eye on how participants were doing remotely.

By using a 3D printer, the researchers are able to cut the production price of the wearable VR-like headset. They’ve also designed almost everything themselves, including the computer board inside the device. The headset uses a special water-based system to get clearer brain signals, specifically from the sensorimotor cortex. It is the part of the brain that handles movement and touch, and it’s involved in how people experience pain. Because it is 3D printed, the headset is also lightweight, so it’s comfortable for the users to wear them for a long time. So far, the researchers are preparing for a larger study with 224 people who have nerve pain due to spinal cord injuries. Their next goal is to bring the interactive game closer to becoming a widely available option as a drug-free pain reliever. 

the 3D printed headset picks up the user’s electrical signals

the interactive game trains people to change their brain waves to relieve their pain without using any drugs

the game has an underwater-based setting

previously, the researchers have already developed another game-based research under Project Avatar

in Project Avatar, a simulated game aims to treat pain from spinal cord injury

video showcasing Project Avatar

next, the researchers plan to conduct a study involving 224 people

project info:

name: PainWaive

institutions: University of New South Wales, University of Technology Sydney, Charles Sturt University, University of South Australia, University of Washington | @unsw, @utsengage, @charlessturtuni, @universitysa, @uofwa

researchers: Negin Hesam-Shariati, Lara Alexander, Fiona Stapleton, Toby Newton-John, Chin-Teng Lin, Pauline Zahara, Kevin Yi Chen, Sebastian Restrepo, Ian W. Skinner, James H. McAuley, G. Lorimer Moseley, Mark P. Jensen, Sylvia M. Gustin

study: here

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Aircela Machine can transform air and water into fossil-free gas for engines and cars. Unveiled for the first time on May 20th, 2025, the machine can produce gas on-site and in real time without fossil inputs. It only uses air, water, and renewable electricity. The team designs the structure like a honeycomb, built as well for off-grid and distributed use. Chemistry makes the Aircela Machine work so it can convert air, water, and renewable energy into gas.

The team says that the Aircela Machine uses a water-based solution. It has potassium hydroxide, which captures carbon dioxide from air. There’s a chamber where this breeze goes through as if it were a wind tunnel. Inside this container, the air comes into contact with a specially designed liquid sorbent, which extracts the carbon dioxide. Thanks to the design of the chamber, the air and the sorbent have no choice but to ‘mix.’ Once the air touches the sorbent, the carbon dioxide molecules stick to the liquid, capturing a lot of it without using too much energy.

all images courtesy of Aircela

Sorbent that regenerates so it can be reused

To produce gas from air and water, the Aircela Machine uses electrolysis. It splits the water into hydrogen and oxygen gases. The process also uses just renewable electricity, including solar power, to prevent the technology from using too much power. Once the two types of gases come through, the machine keeps the hydrogen one while releasing the oxygen variant. While all of these are happening, the machine ‘regenerates’ the liquid sorbent used in the first step. It cleans itself from the captured carbon dioxide so the sorbent can be reused again. Once it is purified, it restarts capturing carbon dioxide from the air, and the cycle repeats. 

Going back to producing the gas from air and water, the Aircela Machine combines the captured carbon dioxide and the hydrogen to create the methanol. The technology then converts this methanol into gas using chemical processes within the chambers. After that, the user pulls out the pump on the side of the machine and pours the fossil-free gas into a container for engine use. The team says that they’ve built the invention on the research by Dr. Klaus Lackner, a physicist who pioneered the concept of direct air capture in the early 2000s. The company plans to start scaling production in late 2025 to support residential, commercial, and industrial deployments.

the team says that the Aircela Machine uses a water-based solution

the team designs the structure like a honeycomb, built as well for off-grid and distributed use

side view of the machine

view of the pump

there’s a chamber where the air comes into contact with a specially designed liquid sorbent

the technology then converts this methanol into gas using chemical processes within the chambers

the team schedules scaled production in late 2025

project info:

name: Aircela Machine

company: Aircela | @aircela_official

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Meet oncue, a couple of modular keyboards with wearable cuffs designed for people with Parkinson’s disease. Showcased during Milan Design Week 2025, designer Alessandra Galli has developed the device to aid the user’s motor challenges caused by tremors and bradykinesia. It includes two main parts: a compact keyboard split into two and a pair of wearable wrist cuffs. They use vibration and visual cues to help users while they type. The modular keyboard is in two halves to accommodate the position of the hands and arms. The keys are arranged in straight lines called an ortholinear layout, which can make it easier to move from one key to another with less finger strain.

When a user presses a key, the modular keyboard and wearable cuffs vibrate. This helps users stay in rhythm while typing, which can be difficult for people who experience tremors or slow movements, known as bradykinesia. If a finger stays on a key for too long, the vibration increases, a signal to lift the finger. The user can adjust the strength of the vibration depending on their preference. The modular keyboard with wearable cuffs also lights up when the user presses a key. Then, the installed AI system can also predict the next key that the user might press, letting it glow in advance so they know where to press. The system also learns and saves the typing habits of the user.

all images courtesy of Alessandra Galli

Customizable settings depending on the user’s needs

Designer Alessandra Galli hopes that with oncue, people with Parkinson’s disease are able to type fluidly and with less strain. The modular keyboards and wearable cuffs aim to reduce the shaking hands and slow hand movement of the users. They both vibrate to tell the users they’ve had their fingers on a key for too long. This also helps prevent ‘freezing,’ which is a symptom where movement suddenly stops. The users can wear the cuffs on different parts of the arm. Oncue also includes software that allows users to adjust vibration patterns and other settings.

Since Parkinson’s symptoms can change daily, users can customize the system to match what they need each day. They can use only the features they want, such as just the cuffs, just the lights, or both. Design-wise, the designer applies a bright orange palette for the case of the modular keyboards and a watch-like style for the wearable cuffs. For the keys, the gray color indicates the letters, while the dark blue is for the command buttons. The keys glow in yellow when they’re pressed, while they light up in green for the predictive text. So far, the designer has presented oncue during Milan Design Week 2025 and collaborated with the Parkinson’s Association in Treviso, Italy. As for the timeline of its rollout, there’s no news yet when the modular keyboards and wearable cuffs can be available.

meet oncue, modular keyboards with haptic cuffs designed for people with Parkinson’s disease

the modular keyboard is in two halves to accommodate the position of the hands and arms

the designer applies an orange color for modular keyboards and a watch-like look for the wearable cuffs

if a finger stays on a key for too long, the vibration increases

the keyboard lights up when the user presses a key

at the present time, there’s no news yet on the devices’ commercial availability

project info:

name: oncue 

design: Alessandra Galli | @alessandragalli_design

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There’s a functional miniature Mac in town, and it’s the replica of the original 1984 Apple computer. The mastermind behind it is Nick Gillard. He’s inspired by the project of Matt Evans named pico-mac. He describes his version, then, as pico-mac-nano. It is 62 mm high, around the size of a matchbox, and has USB keyboard and mouse support. Since it is open-source, users can buy the parts and build their own functional miniature Apple Mac.

While the creator bases his design off of Matt Evan’s project, he downsizes it further and still makes it work without needing to plug it into an external monitor. He challenges himself to build the smallest possible Maci replica, using affordable and modern parts, including an LCD screen, all powered by a tiny Raspberry Pi Pico chip. The result, so far, gives him a functional miniature Apple Mac that users can carry in their pockets and use anywhere.

all images courtesy of Nick Gillard (1-Bit Rainbow)

Components fit inside the tiny 3D printed case

Nick Gillard wants the original 1984 Apple Mac display for his functional miniature replica. To do it, he needs a screen with at least 512 pixels across, because that’s how wide the classic Macintosh screen was (512×342 pixels). He has found a 2-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 640×480 pixels and changed the Mac firmware to output a 480×342 image instead of 512×342. In this way, the screen keeps its native resolution with no pixel suffering. Now that the LCD issue has been solved, the creator readies the case of his functional miniature Apple Mac.

The case should be exact because he needs to fit all the other components in a tiny box, not just the screen and the chip. Luckily, he has found a smaller version of the Raspberry Pi Pico Board, made by WaveShare. This helps insert all the parts into his 3D printed, custom Mac case based still on the original 1984 Apple computer. He also positions the USB-C port in the same spot as the ports in the original computer to fully follow its design. Then, he manages to squeeze in a micro-SD card and slot for storage. He even engraves a 1-bit rainbow Apple-style logo inside the back panel of the 3D printed case where the real Mac had the signatures of the original team.

it is 62 mm high, around the size of a matchbox, and has USB keyboard and mouse support

Nick Gillard recreates the Picasso box of the original computer

The front panel of the functional miniature Apple Mac has a cut-out for the LCD screen and a bracket to hold the internal parts, just like the original Macintosh. For the reset and boot-select buttons on the Pico, the creator makes a click-in piece to press them without needing to open the case. He also carefully shapes the inside of the case to reduce the amount of support material needed when printing, saving time and use of plastic. The functional miniature Apple Mac looks finished, but Nick Gillard isn’t yet. The creator wants to go the extra mile.

He does so by recreating even the miniature version of the 1984 Apple computer’s ‘Picasso’ box. He has found a box manufacturer in India who can produce a white, full-color printed box made from corrugated cardboard, just like the real one but only scaled down. There’s even 3D printed polystyrene casing the functional miniature Apple Mac to protect it from scratches. This is the pico-mac-nano’s collector’s edition, the one that’s complete with a custom box, inserts, and accessories. Handy users can make them on their own, and Apple fans who want to bring back the original Mac and carry it anywhere now have the chance to own a scaled-down version of it.

since it is open-source, users can buy the parts and build their own functional miniature Apple Mac

the 1984 Apple Macintosh next to the replica

tiny Raspberry Pi Pico chip powering the unit

the creator also recreates the miniature version of the ‘Picasso’ box

the full-color printed box comes from corrugated cardboard

as seen, view of the replica and its 3D printed case

project info:

name: pico-mac-nano

design: Nick Gillard 

project: pico-mac by Matt Evans

files: here

parts: here

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It’s rare for a battery-powered FM radio to appear these days, but Shinkogeisha brings back its golden days with its Anomalo series. The design studio crafts its device as if it were a transformable robot toy, signal tower, weathervane, or a combination of all. It is bright and colorful, unlike the traditional FM radios. The Anomalo device has five layers, each serving a specific function. Let’s start at the bottom. Not the circular base, but the first limb from below. It resembles a rocket or a flashlight, and when the user pulls the tab, it reveals the battery’s casing.

The second limb, the one with a bright yellow grille, is the speaker of the Anomalo FM radio. On its upper left, the third limb, there’s a compass-like dial with numbers imprinted on it. Beside it, a red spinner sits, the control of the dial. These two work together to switch Anomalo FM radio’s frequency. As for the volume of the device, it’s the role of the fourth limb and its red slider. At the top, there’s a blue hat. It holds the body together, and it’s the home to the stowable antenna (yes, the device isn’t wireless, unlike, again, traditional radios).

all images courtesy of Shinkogeisha and New Craft Shop

There’s also a clock that looks like it’s hovering

Shinkogeisha first introduced its Anomalo FM radio in 2024. The design studio says that it only produces the product based on orders (the delivery usually takes one or two months). The word ‘Anomalo’ is not just for the radio. It’s a series that focuses on making products using digital tools like 3D printing or laser cutting. The studio’s idea is to steer away from mass-produced technology: copying and producing the same device in hundreds of quantities. Under Anomalo, the objects are only made when ordered, like the FM radio.

The radio isn’t alone in the series. There’s also a clock made of three stacked slabs. Only the first two move: one indicates the hour while the other tells the minutes. They seem to hover in the air as these two slabs are attached to the main stem. It is also battery powered, and its style echoes what Shinkogeisha does with its Anomalo series: giving a modern flair to traditional designs. For the studio, artisans and small-scale creators don’t have to follow the typical image and designs posed and imposed by brands and other high-end products.

the red spinner switches the frequency

the stowable antenna hides in the middle

the battery is in the first ring from the bottom, the one inside the flashlight-like green tube

there are four limbs or sections in the radio design

detailed view of the limbs’ design

as seen, view of the frequency

project info:

name: Anomalo FM radio

design: Shinkogeisha | @shinkogeisha

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Futurewave designs Memoria, an AI home medical device with a bracelet or necklace that helps people with Alzheimer’s remember. It’s a two-part collection. The first one has a sculptural base station with a large, circular AMOLED screen. The display projects photos, videos, memory prompts, names, and time so the users can recall who they are or what they’re about. There’s also a discreet wearable. It’s either a bracelet or a necklace. First, users place the smart chips around the house. Then, the wearable device interacts with these chips, giving the user real-time haptic cues and voice feedback to tell them that someone, or something in this case, is with them at all times.

The screen of the sculptural base station appears semi-translucent, similar to the ‘privacy’ protectors for smartphones. It helps flash the images and videos vividly, especially when placed in a sunny room. The typeface used is sans-serif, and the font size is large to immediately show the projections to the users. The design resembles a desk fan, and the bottom of the base station can double as a speaker, too. For the wearable, it looks like a small computer mouse. It has a textured skin for the haptic feedback. There’s also a small slot for the speaker. So far, Futurewave’s home medical device and wearable for people with Alzheimer’s is still a concept project.

all images courtesy of Futurewave

AI lends a hand to Futurewave’s memoria 

The Futurewave team says that the display of the sculptural base station is AMOLED. It allows for soft visuals and adaptive brightness. The wearable features low-energy Bluetooth as well as NFC capability. These let the device interact with the smart chips installed around the house. Both devices are powered by AI, letting them learn routines, recognize patterns, and adapt prompts to the user’s emotional and cognitive needs. They’re not fully reliant on technology. The home medical devices for people with Alzheimer’s also support outdoor safety and remote caregiver monitoring. In this way, a human can take care of the users even from afar.

The design team says they plan to produce the home medical devices for people with Alzheimer’s using recyclable materials. They haven’t identified yet which ones. They’re in collaboration with healthcare experts and caregivers to develop the gadgets. The team adds that their purpose is to support memory recall gently, not by correcting the users, but by guiding them through moments of disorientation with warmth and respect. With this, Memoria is a series of home medical devices for people with early stages of Alzheimer’s, helping them stay connected to their present, memories, routines, and even loved ones.

the display projects photos, videos, memory prompts, names, and time

the sculptural base station has a large, circular AMOLED screen

the wearable device interacts with these chips, giving the user real-time haptic cues and voice feedback

so far, Futurewave’s Memoria is still a concept project

detailed view of the sculptural base station

project info:

name: Memoria

design: Futurewave | @futurewave_design

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Jony Ive, LoveFrom studio’s co-founder together with Marc Newman, announces creating AI tools and design products under ‘io’ for Sam Altman and OpenAI. The former Apple Chief Design Officer and AI company founder discuss the upcoming products in an interview. Their collaboration pivots back to 2024. During this year, Jony Ive co-founded io, an engineering and product development company, with his former Apple designers Scott Cannon, Evans Hankey, and Tang Tan. Later on, OpenAI bought io for around 6.4 billion USD, its dubbed biggest acquisition yet. In the interview released by the AI company on May 21st, 2025, Jony Ive and Sam Altman talk about their plans for OpenAI’s io. First off, io is now its own department at OpenAI with its own team of engineers and developers.

‘io is merging with OpenAI, formed with the mission of figuring out how to create a family of devices that would let people use AI to create all sorts of wonderful things,’ the duo says. They add that they’ve already been working on a device. While it’s not yet clear what it is, Sam Altman shares that Jony Ive has already given him one of the prototypes to take home. ‘I’ve been able to live with it, and I think it is the coolest piece of technology that the world will have ever seen,’ the OpenAI founder says. So far, their description includes having a magic intelligence in the cloud and possibly testing the ‘limit of what the current tool of a laptop can do’ in terms of how the device operates. OpenAI’s io, by Jony Ive and Sam Altman, plans to push the first series of their collaborative device in 2026.

Jony Ive’s LP12-50 for Linn | image courtesy of Linn; read more here

new technology that ‘can make us our better selves’

As the interview between Jony Ive and Sam Altman progresses, they talk more about the personal inspiration San Francisco, where they’re currently based, gives to them. The OpenAI founder then hints at him wanting to ‘democratize smart tools’, to which the io co-founder replies with ‘what I see you worrying about are other people, are about customers, about society, about culture. And to me, that tells me everything I want to know about someone.’ After that, the duo discuss creating a new generation of technology that ‘can make us our better selves.’ 

io by Jony Ive and Sam Altman focuses more on developing products under OpenAI. They’re developing and working with research- and engineering-based devices in San Francisco. Before co-establishing io in 2024, Jony Ive co-founded the collective LoveFrom with his friend and fellow designer, Marc Newson. He joined Apple in 1996 and left the company after two decades as the Senior Vice President of Design. During his tenure, he worked on many of the company’s classic designs, including the iPod, earlier Macbooks, iPhones, and iPads, as well as the iOS 7.

Jony Ive has also worked for Aibnb | image courtesy of Airbnb; read more here

iPhone 3Gs next to iPhone 4s | image courtesy of Zach Vega, via Wikimedia Commons

iPod 5th Generation | image courtesy of Mikepanhu, via Wikimedia Commons

the duo says they’ve already been working on their first device’s prototype

Jony Ive is the former Apple Senior Vice President of Design

Jony Ive and Sam Altman discusses OpenAi’s io in an interview

project info:

name: io 

co-founder: Jony Ive

collective: LoveFrom

company: OpenAI | @openai

founder: Sam Altman

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Marking a major leap in neurotechnology and accessibility, Synchron is the first company to achieve native integration between a brain-computer interface (BCI) and Apple devices, enabling people to control iPhones, iPads, and Apple Vision Pro with nothing but their thoughts. The breakthrough pairs Synchron’s implantable Stentrode system with the newly announced BCI Human Interface Device (HID) protocol by Apple, which officially recognizes brain signals as a native input category alongside touch, voice, and typing. ‘This marks a defining moment for human-device interaction. BCI is more than an accessibility tool, it’s a next-generation interface layer,’ shares Dr. Tom Oxley, CEO and co-founder of Synchron. ‘With BCI recognized as a native input for Apple devices, there are new possibilities for people living with paralysis and beyond.’

all images courtesy of Synchron

brain-computer interface unlocks digital autonomy

This direct connection Synchron allows between mind and machine, creating hands-free, voice-free access to Apple’s ecosystem for people living with motor impairments such as ALS, stroke, or spinal cord injury. Implantable brain-computer interface company Synchron’s BCI works with built-in accessibility features like Switch Control, translating neural activity into real-time interaction with screens, apps, and interfaces. Users can send messages, browse content, or even create art simply by thinking.

Unlike traditional assistive tech that mimics physical inputs, Synchron’s BCI enables bidirectional communication with devices, allowing for contextual feedback based on UI layouts and screen content. This closed-loop system means the more the user engages, the smarter and more intuitive the interface becomes.

Synchron’s implantable Stentrode system pairs with Apple’s BCI Human Interface Device (HID) protocol

Neural data powers next-gen AI

At NVIDIA’s GTC 2025 conference, Synchron also unveiled Chiral, its foundation model of human cognition — trained directly on neural data, marking the dawn of Cognitive AI. Powered by NVIDIA Holoscan and Omniverse platforms, Chiral is designed to evolve into a self-improving model of human intention, enabling more adaptive and intuitive interactions. In a live demo, Synchron showed how users can control smart environments through thought alone, with Apple Vision Pro tracking eye movement and decoding intention in real time. The collaboration with NVIDIA represents a leap toward training AI not just on text or images, but on the brain itself.

Clinical trials empower users to regain communication

For many participants in Synchron’s clinical trials, the ability to independently use their Apple devices represents a return to communication, creativity, and digital autonomy. ‘When we ask our clinical trial participants what they want to do, it’s always about communication and creativity,’ notes Chief Commercial Officer at Synchron, Kurt Haggstrom. ‘And to most people, that means using their Apple devices. For Apple to recognize that need and respond to it demonstrates how much they value accessibility for their users. It has been an honor to meet with their teams and provide feedback to help make BCI HID a reality.’ Controlled trials with BCI HID integration are expected to roll out later this year, with native support across iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS accelerating Synchron’s path to commercial use.

Synchron’s BCI enables bidirectional communication with devices

Apple’s HID protocol by Apple recognizes brain signals as a native input category

Synchron’s BCI translates neural activity into real-time interaction 

project info:

name: Synchron x Apple BCI integration
companies: Synchron 

technology: implantable brain-computer interface (Stentrode)

devices supported: iPhone, iPad, Apple Vision Pro

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