Chinese scientists approve “brain chip” and experts agree: “a milestone”

A group of Chinese scientists has developed a brain implant that helps people with severe paralysis regain movement in their hands. The device was approved last week by the National Medical Products Administration and will be available to people between the ages of 18 and 60 who suffer from paralysis affecting all their limbs as a result of a cervical spinal cord injury.

This marks the world’s first approval of a brain–computer interface (BCI) device for commercial use. The device, developed by Neuracle Medical Technology in Shanghai, involves placing electrodes on the brain through a minimally invasive extradural implantation procedure.

Patients eligible for the device, which is called NEO, must have received their diagnosis at least one year earlier and must have remained in a stable condition for six months after completing standard treatment. They must also be unable to grasp objects with their hands while still retaining some functional movement in the upper part of the arm.

“A milestone”

Zhengwu Liu, who has worked with the NEO team, speaking to the scientific journal Nature, described the breakthrough as “a milestone for the whole field of BCI research.” He explained that a key reason behind approval being granted in his opinion was the long-term evidence the device worked, 18 months, something that “is rare in this field.”

China’s National Medical Products Administration has given priority to BCI technologies and has stated that the sector has been designated an “future industry” in Beijing’s latest five-year plan, published last week.

According to a BCI expert who spoke to Reuters last week, China could see brain–computer interface technology enter practical public use within three to five years as products continue to develop. Beijing is accelerating its efforts to catch up with American startups, including Elon Musk’s Neuralink.

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