Mark Jackson lies in bed, his eyes fixed on a laptop. On the screen, blue circles blink to life. One turns red. Using nothing but his thoughts, Jackson guides a small white circle into the red target.
The game, reminiscent of Pac-Man, doesn’t rely on a joystick or a keyboard. To move left, Jackson imagines clenching his right fist once. For right, he imagines clenching it twice in rapid succession.
The target changes, the obstacles shift, and he continues—14 out of 15 successful hits. “It’s a lot to take in, it’s a lot to process”, he said.
The technology behind the magic
Jackson, now 65 and living with ALS, is one of the first people in the world to test a new brain-computer interface (BCI) developed by a startup called Synchron. Implanted in his brain, the BCI translates his mental signals into digital actions—like clicking a mouse or typing an email.
Jackson received the implant during a clinical trial led by the University of Pittsburgh. He’s part of a group of 10 people, six in the U.S. and four in Australia, who have tested the technology.
From ALS diagnosis to cutting-edge treatment
Just a few years ago, Jackson had a thriving career in Georgia’s wholesale floral industry. In early 2021, he began to lose strength and mobility. At Emory University, doctors confirmed it was ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that erodes muscle control.
When he could no longer type or carry buckets of flowers, he left his job and moved in with his brother outside Pittsburgh. “The loss of mobility, the loss of independence that goes with this disease,” he said, “it’s a lot to take in.”
After a clinical drug trial ended in 2023, Jackson turned to the Synchron study in hopes of reclaiming some freedom.
Inside the BCI implant process
In July 2023, Jackson began the vetting process. Just six weeks later, he entered the operating room. Surgeons implanted the Stentrode—a wire-mesh tube the size of a matchstick—into his jugular vein.
Threaded carefully to the brain’s motor cortex, the device detects electrical signals generated by movement-related thoughts. A second component, implanted under his collarbone, processes the signals and transmits them via infrared.
A receiver on Jackson’s chest captures the beam and converts it into commands sent to a computer. When activated, green lights shine faintly through his shirt.
More than a medical milestone
The goal of the BCI isn’t to stop ALS—it’s to restore agency. With the implant, Jackson can send texts, write emails, and browse online. It may seem small, but for someone who’s lost the ability to speak or move, these moments are monumental.
Synchron’s approach is non-invasive compared to other brain implants like Neuralink, which require opening the skull. Instead, Synchron uses the body’s vascular system as a pathway to the brain, making it safer and faster to deploy.
What’s next in brain-computer tech
The potential of BCIs goes far beyond gaming. Future developments could allow patients to operate wheelchairs, control smart homes, or interact directly with AI systems.
While companies like Neuralink garner most of the headlines, Synchron is quietly pushing boundaries—transforming lives not with spectacle, but with subtle, steady progress.
“I was immediately excited about it,” Jackson said. His excitement is shared by a growing number of researchers and clinicians who see BCI not just as science fiction, but as the next frontier in real-world healthcare.
