Key points
- Chinese woman speaks via brain implant in ALS trial
- Beinao-1 offers less invasive brain-computer interface option
- Trials expanding as demand for BCI technology grows
ISLAMABAD: In a significant breakthrough, a 67-year-old woman with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in Beijing has communicated the phrase “I want to eat” through a brain-computer interface (BCI), a wireless chip called Beinao-1 implanted in her brain. This technology translates brain signals into text or speech, offering new hope for patients unable to speak.
Exciting progress in the brain chip space! The Beinao No.1 project is paving the way for groundbreaking advancements, and it’s impressive to see China taking the lead in this race. Game on, Neuralink! pic.twitter.com/7AxV0uUFWK
— Toga Leung (@LeungToga) June 10, 2025
The clinical trial, conducted at Beijing Xuanwu Hospital and led by Luo Minmin, director of the Chinese Institute for Brain Research (CIBR), marks one of the world’s first semi-invasive wireless BCI implants in humans, according to CNN.
Watch the latest update from the Neuralink team. pic.twitter.com/mQzpTehqov
— Neuralink (@neuralink) June 27, 2025
Since March, five patients have received the Beinao-1 implant, the same number as Elon Musk’s Neuralink project in the US.
Strong demand
Luo, who trained in the US, highlighted strong demand for the technology among patients who feel it helps them regain control over their muscles.
The team aims to expand trials to 50-100 patients over the next year, with hopes of making the technology clinically available worldwide.
Experts note that while the US has led BCI research since the 1970s, China is rapidly catching up. Georgetown University neuroscientist Maximilian Riesenhuber praised China’s advances, saying Chinese research is now “comparable in sophistication” to US and UK efforts.
China began investing seriously in brain tech in the 1990s, with significant funding increases and government support over the past decade.
Less invasive approach
Unlike Neuralink’s more invasive implants placed beneath the dura mater, Beinao-1 uses a less invasive approach, which poses fewer surgical risks but records brain activity with slightly less precision. Luo described the two systems as different rather than directly competitive, with it still unclear which method will ultimately best serve patients.
#WhereSpringBreezeBlows-14 Heartwarming Stories From Beijing
Here, deliverymen are like family members for residents of the neighborhood they serve, groundbreaking “#Beinao-1″ Brain-Computer System at the Chinese Academy of Sciences helps disabled people have a fresh start… pic.twitter.com/Cwah8Uje6Y— Touch Beijing (@touch_beijing) July 1, 2025
Brain-computer interfaces hold great promise beyond medical use, with the global market expected to grow from $2.6 billion in 2024 to $12.4 billion by 2034. China’s ambitions to become a science and tech superpower have driven rapid progress in this field, despite ongoing geopolitical tensions with the US over advanced technology.
As trials continue, the development of safe, effective BCIs could revolutionise communication and mobility for people with neurological conditions, signalling a new era in medical technology innovation.
