Cognixion Now Enrolling NIH-Funded Study of Wearable Brain-Computer Interface Communication Device for People with ALS

First of its kind, longitudinal clinical study comparing Cognixion's investigational Brain Computer Interface (BCI) with the Market leading eye-tracking communication devices people with ALS currently rely upon for daily communication

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Nov. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Cognixion Corporation today announced that it is now enrolling participants in the CHOICE study, a research study of a wearable brain–computer interface (BCI) communication device for people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The study is supported by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) of the National Institutes of Health and is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT07871071. 

As ALS progresses, many people lose the ability to speak and come to rely on eye-tracking sensors to control communication devices. The CHOICE study compares the investigational BCI by Cognixion, which combines context awareness using its proprietary AI Context Engine™, optical see through augmented reality (AR) display glasses, a proprietary AI Digital Twin of each patient and a clinical grade version of Cognixion's non-invasive wearable brain-computer interface (BCI). This elegant combination of integrated technologies can seamlessly support eye tracking and gaze detection with brain sensing, but does not depend on eye movement like some invasive BCI approaches. The Cognixion system can be interoperable with the tablet-based speech generating devices that participants already use, but is designed to operate independently of them, as well. 

"Cognixion's mission is to restore a sense of dignity and agency to those that have lost the ability to communicate and have more control of what happens in their world. We believe that the inevitable convergence of context awareness, AI mediation between biology and the physical and digital worlds we live in and time synchronizing a variety of neural biosensing data are the technological keys that unlock and restore lost agency for millions of people. For the ALS/MND community, this is particularly relevant, as this terrible disease progressively removes a person's physical capacity to interact with loved ones, friends, clinicians and the world around them in a way that we all take for granted. We're grateful for the time and commitment of prospective study participants (pALS) to help us unlock these capabilities and provide data driven insights on a path to enabling greater access to advanced technologies, and more capabilities for the individual thus reducing the physical and emotional burden on caregivers to do the things an individual wishes to do and could do themselves with the right technology." — Chris Ullrich, Chief Technology Officer, Cognixion, and Principal Investigator of the CHOICE Study.   

How the study works 

The study will enroll 30 adults with ALS across the United States. Each participant uses three communication options at home over 12 weeks: their own eye-tracking speech generating tablet device, a head-worn version of the Cognixion BCI with Augmented Reality Display glasses, and a touchscreen-based version. Participants choose which option they prefer to use in each session, and how much time they voluntarily spend with each is the study's primary outcome measure. 

Sessions take place in participants' homes with a trained caregiver present, and the Cognixion study team provides setup, training and regular check-ins. The study also measures communication speed and accuracy, usability, workload, quality of life and caregiver burden. 

Who may be eligible 

Adults 18 or older with ALS whose speech is significantly affected, who use a Tobii Dynavox or Smartbox eye-tracking Speech Generating Device (for at least 30 days, or who are in the process of evaluating one), and who have a caregiver who can be trained and present for sessions. The study team reviews the full requirements with each person. There is no cost to participate. 

How to learn more 

People living with ALS, caregivers and clinicians can learn more at www.cognixion.com/cognih001, email theCHOICEstudy@cognixion.com, or call (833) 264-6496 ext. 702. 

Full study details are available on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT07871071). 

This specific BCI by Cognixion is an investigational device. It is not approved or cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for any medical use, and there is no guarantee that anyone taking part will benefit. Participation is voluntary; participants may stop at any time, and regular ALS care continues unchanged. 

About Cognixion 

Cognixion is a Santa Barbara, California-based company developing brain–computer interface and AI-Assisted Reality technology that helps people with speech and motor disabilities achieve greater independence and agency. 

Funding acknowledgment 

Research reported in this release is supported by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R44DC023888. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. *This project is 100% funded by federal funds from NIDCD. 

SOURCE Cognixion