China begins NEO brain chip rollout after 36 patient trials
Technology
China has rolled out NEO, a tiny brain-computer chip designed to help people with paralysis and spinal cord injuries.
After passing trials with 36 patients and showing no major safety issues, NEO is set for mass production in China's public hospitals, making China the first country to bring this kind of tech to market.
NEO on dura mater unlike Neuralink
NEO works by placing sensors against the dura mater between the skull and brain, which keeps surgery safer and less invasive.
That's different from Elon Musk's Neuralink, which puts electrodes deeper into brain tissue.
While NEO aims to help users move again using robotic aids, Neuralink is focused more on letting people control devices like computers with their thoughts.