Facebook to buy brain science start-up CTRL-labs; CNBC says deal worth $1 billion

Facebook Inc said on Monday it bought New York-based CTRL-labs, a start-up that is exploring ways for people to communicate with computers using brain signals, in a deal that CNBC was valued at $1 billion. Facebook Vice President of AR/VR Andrew Bosworth announced the deal in a http://bit.ly/2mhN3q0 Facebook post.

CTRL-labs will join Facebook Reality Labs team, Bosworth said, without giving any financial details. Media reports said CTRL-labs is working with brain science and machine learning to create interfaces for people to control and manipulate computers by thinking. Its development-stage wrist-worn device uses sensors to track gestures and would act as an input device.

The deal is valued at about $1 billion, CNBC reported https://cnb.cx/2mbg1bk, citing a source familiar with the matter. Facebook was not immediately available for comment on the deal value.