BCI implant offers hope to paralyzed patients

A paralyzed patient in Shanghai has become the first person in the world to receive a commercially approved brain-computer interface, or BCI, implant, marking a major leap from laboratory experiments to real-world medical treatment.

The landmark surgery was performed on Monday at Huashan Hospital, which is affiliated with Fudan University in Shanghai and serves as China's National Center for Neurological Disorders. Doctors successfully implanted the Neural Electronic Opportunity, or NEO, a coin-sized device designed to help paralyzed patients regain hand movement.

The hospital reported that the patient's condition remains stable following the procedure. Tests during the surgery showed that the device was successfully capturing high-quality brain signals.

The patient, who was paralyzed in a car accident 10 years ago, had lost the ability to grasp objects and struggled with basic daily activities. Traditional rehabilitation and medications had failed to bring further improvement.

The NEO system, developed by Shanghai-based Neuracle Technology, bypasses damaged nerves by capturing the patient's intentions to move. Electrodes placed on the protective outer layer of the brain pick up electrical activity when the patient thinks about moving their hand. The system then decodes these signals and sends commands to a robotic glove worn by the patient, physicalizing their thoughts into hand movements.

Unlike some BCIs that insert deep needles into brain tissue, the NEO device sits safely on the brain's surface.

For years, brain-implant technologies were restricted to laboratory settings and experimental clinical trials. Before receiving market approval, Huashan Hospital collaborated with 11 top-tier medical institutions across China to test the system on 32 patients.

The technology reached a commercial milestone on March 13, when it received official market approval from China's regulators, making it the world's first approved commercial implant in the highest-risk medical device category.

In the short four months since its approval, the NEO system has moved rapidly through manufacturing, hospital adoption, patient screening, and even inclusion in commercial health insurance coverage.

The swift rollout highlights growing support for the brain-technology sector. The technology was designated a "future industry" in this year's Government Work Report and was written into the outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) as China aims to cultivate the sector into a new engine of economic growth.

With the technology now entering daily clinical practice, the implant offers new hope for millions of patients around the world living with severe spinal cord injuries.

wangxin2@chinadaily.com.cn