China beats Neuralink with world's first commercial brain chip implant
What's the story
China has become the first country to successfully implant a brain-computer interface (BCI) commercially. As per Chinese media reports, the groundbreaking surgery was performed at Huashan Hospital, affiliated with Fudan University in Shanghai. The patient, who lost hand function due to a spinal cord injury from a car accident nearly 10 years ago, was treated using the Neural Electronic Opportunity (NEO) system developed by Shanghai-based Neuracle Medical Technology.
Tech details
How the NEO system works
The NEO system works by interpreting brain signals and converting them into commands for external devices.
The coin-sized implant is placed on the surface of the brain, rather than deep inside it.
When a patient thinks about moving their hand, the device detects those signals and relays them to a computer, which decodes them into commands for controlling a robotic glove.
Approval status
First brain-computer interface approved for commercial use
In March, China's National Medical Products Administration approved the NEO system for commercial use.
This made it, according to Chinese authorities, the world's first approved implantable brain-computer interface classified as a Class III medical device.
The approval enabled the technology to move beyond experimental clinical trials and start treating eligible patients in hospitals.
Competition
Neuralink's progress in the US
Meanwhile, Elon Musk's Neuralink is also working on similar tech and has already implanted its brain chip in several patients as part of ongoing clinical trials in the US.
However, these procedures are still part of clinical trials.
Unlike Neuralink, which uses ultra-thin flexible threads inserted directly into brain tissue with a surgical robot's help, NEO is placed on the surface of the brain without penetrating tissue.