Company Profile: Phantom Neuro
Phantom Neuro is a pre-clinical stage neurotechnology company specializing in the development of minimally invasive muscle-machine interfaces (MMI). Headquartered in Austin, Texas, the company was founded in 2020 by Dr. Connor Glass, a reconstructive plastic surgeon who began developing the core technology while at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Phantom Neuro?s mission is to bridge the gap between biological intention and robotic execution, providing lifelike control of prosthetic limbs and exoskeletons for individuals with limb differences and mobility impairments.
Continue…Core Mission and Technology Focus
The primary objective of Phantom Neuro is to replace archaic prosthetic control systems?many of which rely on technology that has remained largely unchanged for decades?with an intuitive, high-bandwidth interface. The company?s approach focuses on "muscle-machine" interaction rather than direct brain-computer interfaces (BCI), which often require high-risk neurosurgery.
The Phantom X System
The flagship product of the company is the Phantom X, a neural interface platform designed to turn complex robotic machines into natural extensions of the human body. The system is comprised of three integrated layers:
- Minimally Invasive Sensors: The Phantom X utilizes low-profile, surgically implantable sensors that are placed just beneath the skin or within muscle fibers at the site of an amputation or injury. This procedure is designed to be a simple, outpatient surgery that can be performed by over 70,000 qualified surgeons across the U.S. using local anesthesia.
- AI-Driven Decoding: Once implanted, the sensors record electromyographic (EMG) signals?the electrical activity generated when a user "intends" to move a muscle. These signals are processed by proprietary machine learning algorithms that decode motor intent into real-time control commands.
- IoT and High-Speed Connectivity: In a world-first for implantable medical systems, Phantom Neuro has integrated IoT Wi-Fi technology (through a partnership with Silicon Labs) to manage high-bandwidth data with ultra-low latency. This allows for seamless, real-time control without the lag often associated with Bluetooth-based medical devices.
Products and Services
1. Robotic Limb Control Systems
The primary application for Phantom X is providing "natural" control for advanced robotic prosthetic limbs.
* Intuitive Movement: Unlike traditional myoelectric prosthetics that require users to toggle between modes (e.g., switching from "wrist rotate" to "hand open"), Phantom X allows for simultaneous, multi-axial movement.
* High Accuracy: In the company's "ASCENT" study, the platform achieved a 94% accuracy rate in decoding 11 distinct hand and wrist movements with only 10 minutes of calibration.
* Universal Compatibility: The system is designed to be "limb-agnostic," meaning it can sync with commercially available robotic limbs from various manufacturers, effectively acting as a universal "controller" for the bionics market.
2. Orthopedic and Mobility Solutions
Beyond amputees, Phantom Neuro is expanding its technology to address isolated motor deficits:
* Robotic Braces and Exoskeletons: The control system can be used to drive robotic orthotics for individuals suffering from conditions like "foot drop" or "wrist drop" caused by nerve damage.
* Human Augmentation: The company envisions future applications in human augmentation, where the Phantom X could assist elderly individuals with lower-limb instability or provide enhanced capabilities in specialized industrial or military settings.
3. Licensed Intellectual Property
Phantom Neuro holds exclusive licenses for advanced hardware developed at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), specifically the Modular Prosthetic Limb (MPL). This grants the company the unique ability to offer both the sophisticated control interface (Phantom X) and the high-performance robotic appendages themselves.
Strategic Standing and Milestones
As of early 2026, Phantom Neuro has established itself as a leader in the peripheral neural interface space through several high-profile achievements:
- FDA Designations: The company has received both the FDA Breakthrough Device Designation and the TAP (Targeted Acquisition of Proof) designation. These accelerate the regulatory review process, recognizing the technology's potential to provide more effective treatment for life-threatening or irreversibly debilitating conditions.
- Strategic Funding: In April 2025, the company secured a $19 million Series A funding round led by Ottobock, the world's leading manufacturer of prosthetic limbs. This brought their total funding to approximately $28.5 million.
- Clinical Partnerships: The company's advisory board includes pioneers from DARPA, Synchron, and Precision Neuro, ensuring that their clinical trials and hardware development remain at the forefront of the neurotech industry.
Executive Leadership
- Dr. Connor Glass, MD: Founder and CEO.
- Expert Advisory Board: Includes Dr. Geoff Ling (founding director of DARPA?s Biological Technologies Office) and Dr. Tom Oxley (Founder of Synchron).
