Paradromics Successfully Implants Brain Chip in Human

Neurotechnology firm Paradromics, a competitor to Neuralink, has announced the successful implantation of its first BCI in a human. This was reported by CNBC.

The procedure was conducted on May 14 at the University of Michigan on a patient who had previously undergone neurosurgery for epilepsy treatment. The company’s BCI was implanted and removed from the patient’s brain in approximately 20 minutes during this operation.

Representatives from Paradromics stated that the procedure demonstrated the safety of their system and the recording of neural activity.

The startup plans to commence clinical trials later in 2025 after receiving regulatory approval.

“We have shown in sheep that our device is best-in-class in terms of data and durability, and now we have also demonstrated that it is compatible with humans. This is truly inspiring and generates great interest in our upcoming clinical trial,” said Paradromics founder and CEO Matt Angle.

BCI is a system that decodes brain signals and converts them into commands for external devices. Paradromics offers the Connexus Brain-Computer Interface technology, which can assist patients with severe motor impairments to communicate via computer.

The Connexus Brain-Computer Interface has not yet been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. However, some institutions like the University of Michigan can use new devices for research purposes, provided there is no significant risk to patients.

Each company’s BCI differs slightly. Paradromics is developing technology capable of recording brain activity at the level of individual neurons. Angle compared this approach to placing microphones inside and outside a stadium. Inside, they can capture more details, such as individual conversations, while outside, only the crowd’s roar is audible.

Other companies specializing in BCI include Synchron and Neuralink. The former is a pioneer in the U.S. in integrating neural interfaces into the human brain.

Earlier, Neuralink, following successful chip implants in the brain, planned an operation to restore vision.

Back in September 2024, a Synchron patient began controlling a smart home with the power of thought.