A study details the first human recipients of Precision Neuroscience's minimally invasive brain-computer interface, designed for recording and stimulation without penetrating brain tissue.
On 22 July 2026 Science Corporation announced the European commercial launch of PRIMA, stating it is the first and only treatment shown in clinical trials to restore functional central vision to patients with geographic atrophy caused by age-related macular degeneration. PRIMA received a CE mark under the EU Medical Device Regulation from notified body DEKRA, authorising commercial availability across 30 European countries, and the company states it is the first brain-computer-interface device to receive CE marking for form vision restoration - reading letters, numbers and words. Country-specific reimbursement applications and clinical site activations are described as underway, with the first commercial implant expected in Germany. The company cites its New England Journal of Medicine publication covering 38 patients across 17 clinical sites in five countries: mean improvement of 25.5 letters on the ETDRS chart, 84% of patients reporting the ability to read letters, numbers and words, and 80% achieving prosthetic visual acuity improvement of at least logMAR 0.2 at 12 months (p<0.001). The implant is a 2x2mm subretinal photovoltaic device paired with near-infrared projecting glasses. AMD-associated geographic atrophy is stated to affect more than five million people globally.
Business Insider reported hands-on testing of Kernel Flow at a longevity clinic, describing the non-invasive fNIRS headset as now available to try at about half a dozen longevity-focused clinics after ten years of development and more than $150 million invested. Kernel's own clinics page corroborates a live commercial subscription offer built on Flow 2 hardware across three tiers — Starter at $2,500 per system per month, Plus at $5,750 and Unlimited at $10,500, with annual-commitment discounts — delivering a 7-minute passive Brain Age report and a 30-minute active Cognition report. Kernel continues to state that its systems are for research use only and are not intended to diagnose, treat or manage any disease, so the commercial rollout sits alongside an explicit non-clinical disclaimer.
Precision Neuroscience announced it won a 2026 Webby Award and was named to Fast Company's World Changing Ideas list for a second consecutive year, both citing its Layer 7 cortical interface and its potential to restore communication for people living with paralysis. The release states Precision has implanted the device in more than 90 patients across multiple health systems — the substantive datapoint in the announcement, and an increase on the 'more than 80' figure stated in its 30 April release. No funding figures were stated. NOT flagged as a big event: this is third-party recognition with no disclosed economics and no clinical or commercial milestone. Recorded on the same basis as Island's CNBC Disruptor 50 placement (run 48) and Chainguard's Gartner Magic Quadrant placement (run 35) — logged as recognition, explicitly not as a valuation or performance event.
Emotiv made its Emotiv Play catalogue of brain-controlled games available on its Epoc X and Insight headsets, having previously limited them to the MN8 earbuds. The move broadens the addressable install base for its consumer software across its full wireless EEG hardware line.
Neurable announced a licensing platform allowing OEMs to integrate its AI-powered EEG brain-sensing technology directly into existing hardware such as headphones, hats, glasses and headbands, while retaining full control over product design, user experience and distribution. It marks a shift from bespoke single-partner deals to a scalable platform model, following a $35m Series A in December 2025.
Synchron announced the official launch of the INTENT Study, a further US clinical trial of the Synchron Brain-Computer Interface, and opened the study's trial registry to candidate participants. The study is designed to continue evaluating the safety of the endovascular Stentrode BCI, which is delivered via the blood vessels rather than open brain surgery. Mount Sinai Hospital was activated as a local research site. The launch follows Synchron's $200m Series D (Nov 2025), which was raised explicitly to accelerate pivotal trials and prepare a commercial launch, making trial progression the company's principal value driver. The Synchron BCI System remains an investigational device and is not approved for commercial use.
TechCrunch reported on 14 April 2026 that Science Corporation has enlisted Dr Murat Gunel, chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at Yale School of Medicine, to lead the first US human trials of its biohybrid brain-computer interface, following two years of discussions. The first step is to implant the company's sensor - without the lab-grown neurons the eventual device is intended to carry - inside a living human skull, resting on top of the cortex rather than inserted into brain tissue as Neuralink's device is. The sensor contains 520 recording electrodes in an area the size of a pea. The company says it does not plan to seek FDA approval for these trials, arguing the device poses no significant risk; the plan is to recruit patients already undergoing major brain surgery, such as stroke patients requiring partial cranium removal. Chief Science Officer and co-founder Alan Mardinly leads biohybrid development with a team of 30 researchers. Gunel told TechCrunch it would be 'optimistic' to expect trials to begin in 2027. Science published a working paper in 2024 showing the device could be safely implanted in mice and used to stimulate brain activity.
Science Corporation announced the European commercial launch of PRIMA, a treatment to restore functional central vision in patients with geographic atrophy from age-related macular degeneration.