Cyberkinetics
Based: Foxborough, MA
Founded: 2000

Why it was Fierce in 2004: Cyberkinetics had received approval for a clinical trial to implant its BrainGate technology into five severely disabled patients to determine if they could use the technology to send simple computer commands through channeled thought. Cyberkenetics merged with the public, Texas-based Bionic Technologies. At the time the company said it was three to five years away from putting a product on the market.

Where are they now?: After the merger, Cyberkenetics was renamed Cyberkinetics Neurotechnology Systems. Its Brian Gate 2 Neural Interface System is now in clinical trials.