Name: Synchron CEO explains the science behind their brain chip implants
Uploaded: 2025-11-11T01:53:02.019Z
Duration: 5 min 2 s
Description: Synchron CEO Tom Oxley tells CNBC’s Squawk Box Asia that the company’s brain chip implant is designed to treat motor impairments now, with plans to address mild cognitive decline in the future. He also details how the implant is embedded in patients.

Synchron CEO Tom Oxley tells CNBC’s Squawk Box Asia that the company’s brain chip implant is designed to treat motor impairments now, with plans to address mild cognitive decline in the future. He also details how the implant is embedded in patients.

Brooklyn

Synchron's CEO explained the company's brain-computer interface (BCI) technology, which aims to restore movement and digital device control for people with motor impairments or paralysis. The device, priced between $50,000 and $100,000, is delivered to the brain through blood vessels, avoiding open surgery and enabling broader, cost-effective access.

The CEO also highlighted the potential for future generations of the technology to assist those with cognitive decline and discussed the competitive landscape, noting rapid BCI development in China and ongoing efforts in the U.S. and Europe. Synchron's initial trials have focused on patients affected by stroke or ALS, with the device delivered percutaneously via the neck's blood vessels.

Synchron CEO explains the science behind their brain chip implants

The first generation is motor control. So motor is movement. Motor impairment is often the same as paralysis. We think there's several million in the US maybe 15 million people globally who have a form of motor impairment that stops their either hands moving or their mouth from moving who are not able to control digital devices such as Apple products in whom if you can restore control of digital devices you can restore a level of autonomy independence in living in the world. And that has an economic basis to it. So for at a device price of around the 50 to 100000 dollar mark it's only in the tens of thousands to achieve revenues of billions. And we think the market opportunity here is to help a huge number of millions of people who lose control of their body to restore independence. And that's that would be the first generation of the technology. What I think will come following is a much larger population in the world of people who say have cognitive decline or maybe mild cognitive impairment. Dementia is at the end of that spectrum. But I think this technology ultimately could help hundreds of millions of people preserve a level of cognitive function as we age. And in the U.S. market I would imagine that there is a lot of question. Well comparison being drawn between Elon Musk's and Neuralink and Synchron. What about globally and more into Asia. And you recently mentioned in an interview that China is really moving quickly in this brain computer interface technology. Talk to us about your competition outside of the U.S. as well. Yes. So there's there's about six companies in the U.S. developing an implantable brain computer interface in China. I think there's about six or seven companies predominantly in Shanghai some in Beijing who are developing implantable BCI. I'd say China is maybe about five years behind in the U.S. But I think the trajectory is very steep. The government is laid down a top down level strategy of BCI development which clearly is being picked up by the municipalities and down at the hospital levels in China. And there's very rapid development of BCI is happening there. There's a couple in Europe. I'm not too I'm not aware of any outside of China and Southeast Asia. Tom Martin here. Let me quickly jump in with a question. So it's anywhere from 50 to 100 thousand dollars for the kind of device that you make. Right. And this is it's pretty cool. It's also a little bit scary a little bit. Frankenstein Neuralink we've seen some vids. It's like you know they crack your skull open etc. In the case of Synchron. How is this device delivered into a human body. Yes. So the history of Synchron was looking at the history of medicine especially cardiology where the progression away from open heart surgery towards the use of blood vessels to deliver pacemakers stents now valve replacements. That field is now emerging in the brain. It's called neuro intervention. And you can be a radiologist neurosurgeons and neurologists are now learning how to deliver tech. There's a picture right there of a catheter up inside the brain. And so there's stents there's coils there's treatment of multiple diseases. So the vision for our company was well if you can deliver packets of information of devices and electronics up into the brain through a blood vessel and avoid open surgery it's better for the patients. But economically you can you can drive delivery into market at a much larger scale because you don't need to be in the operating room. And the field of interventional cardiology and interventional neurology has already matured. So we've just gone from early mechanical stents to now delivery of electronics. Very cool. So basically faster safer as well as cheaper. Right now stage one the 10 people you've tried it on it's to address issues like people who've had a stroke for example and can't move or part of their body. Well usually the left side people with ALS Lou Gehrig's disease etc. And the delivery mechanism you mentioned cardiology. So it's what doctors would call percutaneous or perfusion. Yes. It's the same way you put it. Yes it's percutaneous sometimes means putting a needle in. But in this case you'd use the blood vessel. You come into the neck use the blood vessel to navigate your way up to the brain and you can get to different regions of the brain and then deliver the deliver the technology.

President Trump met with Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa at the White House as ties between the U.S. and Syria appear to strengthen. CBS News' Imtiaz Tyab reports.

Washington

Syria will join coalition against ISIS following meeting with Trump

A deadly car explosion in Delhi, India, killed at least eight people and injured at least 19 others on Monday, police said. Devina Gupta of the BBC, a CBS News partner, has more.

New Delhi

Deadly car explosion rocks India's New Delhi, eight killed

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is to be released from prison after serving 3 weeks of a 5-year sentence for criminal conspiracy.

Paris

Ex-French President Sarkozy released from prison

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is set to meet with President Trump at the White House after leading a surprise attack that toppled the Assad regime. CBS News' Ramy Inocencio reports.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa meeting Trump at White House

Super Typhoon Fung-wong slammed into the Philippines, bringing dangerous conditions to the country for the second time in a matter of days. CBS News' Anna Coren reports.

Manila

Super Typhoon Fung-wong batters the Philippines

Senate Republicans and some Democrats appear to have a plan to end the government shutdown. CBS News' Natalie Brand reports.

Democrats, Republicans reach deal that may end government shutdown

The director-general of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has resigned after a row over the editing of a speech made by U.S. President Donald Trump on the day of the 2021 attack on the United States Capitol.

London

BBC boss Tim Davie resigns after criticism over Trump speech edit

A Collaborative Combat Aircraft, the AI-powered fighter YFQ-44A has begun flight testing, as General Atomics takes to the sky as well.

California

Anduril's unmanned AI-powered fighter jet 'Fury' makes first flight

The U.S. Senate is voting on a bill to fund and reopen the government. Earlier Sunday, the Trump administration ordered states to "undo" SNAP benefits payments amid the funding halt.

Trump admin orders states to 'undo' SNAP payments ahead of Senate vote

Israeli settlers attacked a group of Palestinian villagers, activists and journalists on Saturday (November 8) who had gathered during an attempt to harvest olives near a settler outpost in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, witnesses said. Two Reuters employees were among those injured in the attack by the men who wielded sticks and clubs, and hurled large rocks at them.

Jerusalem

Israeli settlers attack Palestinians, journalists in West Bank

Ukrainian energy companies reported a complete power outage after two thermal power plants supplying the Kyiv and Kharkiv were struck overnight by Russia. Officials in Kyiv also shared that their forces carried out strikes targeting the Kremlin's energy sector, which it says funds the invasion.

Kyiv

Ukraine and Russia trade overnight strikes on energy facilities

A tragic Saturday in Tenerife left three people dead and at least 15 injured as exceptionally high waves gripped the Canary archipelago. Officials are reporting waves that can reach as high as four metres.

Tenerife

Three dead as giant waves lash Tenerife

COP30 has kicked off in Belem, Brazil, drawing 50,000 participants to the gateway to the Amazon rain forest. One key topic of the summit is adapting to a warmer world, as well as who will bear the costs for that.

Belém

Brazil welcomes world leaders to Amazon for COP30

Nearly a million people have been evacuated from their homes in the Philippines, as Super Typhoon Fung-wong approaches the country. It’s the most powerful storm to threaten the country this year and is due to make landfall just days after an earlier typhoon killed more than 200 people.

State of emergency declared as Super Typhoon approaches Philippines

This time last year, Ahmed al-Sharaa was wanted by the U.S. with a 10-million-dollar bounty on his head. Today, he's preparing to hold talks with Donald Trump in the White House as the president of Syria. Sharaa arrived in Washington a day after the U.S. removed him from a blacklist.

Damascus

Global sanctions on Syria eased as leader visits U.S.

At least 6 people are dead and 750 people injured after a tornado tore through a town in southern Brazil. Rescuers are still searching for survivors from under the remains of homes and businesses hit by the powerful storm.

Rio Bonito do Iguaçu

Brazil cleans up after deadly tornado

The U.S. government shutdown is now at 40 days—the longest in American history—with no sign of it ending soon. That’s led to chaos at airports but also knock-on effects across industries.

Miami

No end in sight for longest government shutdown in U.S. history

Delays are stacking up across the U.S. Throughout the day, ground stops have been put in place and lifted, fluctuating with staffing levels at several major airports. With more airline flight cuts coming, things will only get worse for flyers. Andres Gutierrez reports.

John F. Kennedy International Airport

Flight cuts could double if shutdown drags into Thanksgiving

Millions of Americans who depend on federally funded food assistance programs, known as SNAP, remain in limbo as the Supreme Court temporarily blocked a full payment of SNAP benefits for now.

Millions who depend on SNAP in limbo as Supreme Court blocks payment

The Supreme Court has ruled that the Trump administration could temporarily withhold SNAP benefits after a previous judge ordered the White House to provide full federal food benefits to states by Friday.

Latest Supreme Court ruling adds to shutdown confusion

Satellite imagery is showing details of the humanitarian crisis in Sudan amid the country's ongoing civil war. People in al-Fashir were shot in the streets, targeted in drone strikes, crushed by trucks and abducted, witnesses have said after the RSF, violently seized the Sudanese city.

Al Fashir

Satellite imagery shows horrors in Sudan

At least 14 people were killed in the UPS cargo plane crash near the Louisville International Airport on Tuesday, officials said. UPS and FedEx announced they were grounding their fleets of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 planes "out of an abundance of caution."

Louisville

At least 14 people killed in UPS plane crash, officials say

A deadly typhoon has hit Vietnam after wreaking havoc in the Philippines, where more than a hundred are dead and the number is expected to climb.

Hanoi

Typhoon Kalmaegi pounds Vietnam, death toll rising

In the U.S., more than 1,000 flights were cancelled and thousands more delayed as the Federal Aviation Administration struggles with the impacts of the 37-day government shutdown that left air traffic controllers without pay.

Los Angeles International Airport

Flight cancellations expanding fast due to U.S government shutdown

Ukraine says Russian drone and missile attacks have killed at least three people and damaged energy facilities in three regions. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has admitted his forces are facing a “difficult situation” holding back Russian troops in the strategic city of Pokrovsk.

Pokrovsk

Ukraine Invasion

Deaths, injuries after Russia hits residential and energy sites in Ukraine

Colombia is once again at the centre of the global drug debate. Under President Gustavo Petro, the government has vowed to move away from decades of U.S.-backed eradication efforts. But as coca cultivation expands to record levels, Washington’s pressure is mounting.

Bogotá

Tensions growing between U.S. and Colombia

Hamas says it's retrieved the remains of an Israeli soldier from a tunnel near Rafah. It's believed to be the body of officer Hadar Goldin. He's one of the five remaining captives meant to be returned to Israel, under the terms of the Gaza ceasefire deal.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Middle East Conflict

Hamas locates body of deceased Israeli soldier

The United States will officially boycott the upcoming G20 summit in South Africa, escalating a diplomatic dispute by reiterating his controversial claims about the treatment of white farmers in the country and calling the choice of host "a complete disgrace".

Cape Town

U.S. to boycott G20 summit in South Africa over abuse claims

A tornado accompanied by strong winds and heavy rain struck the southern Brazilian state of Parana, killing at least six people, the state government said on Saturday.

Guarapuava

Six killed after tornado lashes Brazil, hundreds injured

The Hungarian leader said he has managed to convince U.S. President Donald Trump to grant his country a full exemption from sanctions for the purchase of Russian energy, after detailing to him the dire consequences it would have on the Hungarian people.

Breakdown