Brain-computer interfaces from Apple and beyond

Want to control an iPhone? Apple is hoping to tap into your mind

- DAVID CROOKES

THERE ARE COUNTLESS ways of interacting with a smartphone, tablet, or computer. You can touch a screen, type on a keyboard, move a mouse, swipe on a touchpad, use a game controller, or even issue commands using your voice.

But imagine a future where such input devices aren’t necessary — a future that allows your brain to directly control a device. It’s a future being worked on by scores of people, including a good number at Apple, and it’s set to be transformative in so many ways.

The latest development came in May this year when Apple unveiled a brain-computer interface (BCI) protocol that supports Switch Control accessibility. Long available on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac (via Settings > Accessibility > Switch Control), and more recently available on the Apple Vision Pro, the feature enables people with physical impairments to interact with their devices using a joystick or external switches.