NeuroGenesysCompare BCI companies side by side
Filter brain-computer interface companies by how their device reaches the brain, sort by electrode count, and put any of them next to each other. Every figure comes from a company release, a peer-reviewed paper, ClinicalTrials.gov or the FDA database, with secondary sources labeled.
For speech-decoding records and the full source list, see the BCI companies topic hub.
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1 · Filter
2 · Companies
- surface4,096 electrodes
- penetrating1,000 electrodes
- penetrating421 electrodes
- penetrating96 electrodes
- endovascularelectrodes not stated
Tick companies to compare them side by side below.
3 · Side by side
| Neuralink | Paradromics | Synchron | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Device | N1 implant ("Link"), robotically implanted | Connexus BCI, fully implantable and wireless | Stentrode |
| Placement | Penetrating: flexible threads in motor cortex (hand-knob area) for cursor control | Penetrating: microelectrodes reaching 1.5 mm below the surface of motor cortex | Endovascular: delivered by catheter through the jugular vein to the superior sagittal sinus, over sensorimotor cortex; no craniotomy |
| Electrodes | 1,000 per the January 2026 update, which says it is increasing to 3,000 | 421 microelectrodes | Not stated on the company site |
| Results | Cursor: 11.32 bits per second record (one participant) with decoders pretrained on 50,000+ hours of unlabeled data; median about 10 BPS (company blog, Oct 2026, not peer-reviewed). Typing up to 40 words per minute via finger decoding (Jan 2026). | Preclinical: information transfer above 200 bits per second (animal data, company). Human: the first Connect-One participant decodes real-time speech; no words-per-minute or error rate disclosed (Sep 2026). Over 4 years of stable recording in sheep (company, Oct 2026). | SWITCH first-in-human study (JAMA Neurology 2023, 4 analyzed): no device-related serious adverse events at 12 months; each patient controlled a computer. Low-bandwidth switch and cursor control, no words-per-minute claim. |
| Regulatory | FDA Breakthrough Device Designation for Blindsight (Sep 2024) and speech restoration (May 2025). Trials: PRIME (NCT06429735), CAN-PRIME, GB-PRIME, UAE-PRIME, CONVOY, VOICE speech study (NCT07224256). No market authorization. | Breakthrough Device Designation (2023). IDE for the Connect-One early feasibility study (Nov 2025, NCT07357428, initial target 2 participants, sites UC Davis, Mass General and U-Michigan). FDA approved personal-device use (Aug 2026) and removal of the 4-hour residence rule (Oct 26, 2026). | Breakthrough Device Designation (Aug 2020), IDE (Jul 2021). US COMMAND early feasibility study (NCT05035823): 6 enrolled. 2026 studies: INTENT (NCT07543367), FOCUS-AUS (NCT07533903); FOCUS-CAN terminated for insufficient recruitment. "Not currently approved for commercial use in any geography." |
| People implanted | 21 worldwide as of Jan 28, 2026 (company) | 1 disclosed (first long-term implant, University of Michigan Health, June 2026) | 11 across SWITCH (5 enrolled) and COMMAND (6), plus 1 in FOCUS-CAN; 2026 enrolment not disclosed |
| Sources | PrimaryReports of 26–27 participants by mid-2026 are secondary and not included. | Primary | Primary |
Questions
Which BCI companies have FDA approval?
None has market authorization for a chronic, implanted BCI. Precision Neuroscience has 510(k) clearance for its Layer 7-T electrode array for implants of up to 30 days, and Blackrock's NeuroPort arrays have 510(k) clearances from 2007 and 2011. Chronic implanted use runs under investigational device exemptions.
Can electrode counts be compared directly?
Only roughly. Penetrating electrodes record individual neurons, surface electrodes record from the brain's surface, and Precision's 4,096 figure is four modules in one procedure. More electrodes is not automatically better performance.
What is the difference between penetrating, endovascular and surface BCIs?
Penetrating devices put electrodes into the cortex for the highest-resolution signals. Endovascular devices such as Synchron's Stentrode sit in a blood vessel and avoid open brain surgery. Surface devices rest on the brain without penetrating it.
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