China tests first neural implant to control devices with mind power

Chinese scientists have conducted the first clinical trial of a brain-computer interface (BCI) on a paraplegic patient, who was able to play chess and race cars using only brain signals within weeks of surgery. This makes China the second country after the US to achieve such results in neurotechnology.

Tech Jun 16, 2025 0 0 Add to Reading List

China tests first neural implant to control devices with mind power

According to the Global Times, China has become the second country after the United States to successfully test brain signal transmission technology to control external devices. In March, Chinese scientists used a wireless invasive BCI implant on a patient with tetraplegia. Within weeks of the operation, he was able to play racing games and chess by controlling a computer with his mind, according to the Shanghai Center of Excellence for Neuroscience and Intelligent Technology.

BCI technology helps restore function in people with paralysis, and Elon Musk's Neuralink is one of the leaders in this field. However, the Chinese implant, with a diameter of 26 mm and a thickness of less than 6 mm, is the most compact in the world, and its flexibility is more than 100 times greater than that of Neuralink.

The researchers' next goal is to teach the patient to control the robotic arm to perform complex tasks, such as grasping objects. The work is being carried out in collaboration with Huashan Hospital of Fudan University.

China is actively developing neurotechnology, competing with the United States. According to forecasts, the BCI system could receive approval and enter the market by 2028.