Key points
- Paralysed patient controls computer using thought alone
- BCI implant smaller, more flexible than Neuralink’s version
- Its system may enter market as early as 2028
ISLAMABAD: China has successfully completed its first clinical trial of a technology that enables brain signals to control external devices, making it only the second country after the United States to reach this milestone.
Chinese scientists employed a brain-computer interface (BCI) — a wireless, invasive implant — in a patient with tetraplegia in March, according to the Global Times.
Just weeks after the operation, the patient was able to play racing games and chess on a computer, controlling the electronic devices purely through thought, according to a statement from the Shanghai-based Centre for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology.
Cutting-edge technology
BCI is a cutting-edge technology aimed at helping restore functionality for individuals with paralysis. Neuralink Corp, co-founded by Elon Musk, currently leads much of this research.
The Chinese implant, however, is reportedly the smallest of its kind globally, with a diameter of 26 millimetres and a thickness of under six millimetres. The Global Times added that it is more than 100 times more flexible than Neuralink’s version.
Next phase
In the next phase of the trial, the research team intends to enable the patient to control a robotic arm using thought, with the goal of performing more advanced physical tasks, such as grasping and holding a cup. The trial is being carried out in collaboration with Huashan Hospital at Fudan University.
While there have been earlier experiments with implants by Chinese start-ups, this clinical trial highlights China’s growing competitiveness with the United States in this high-tech field. The centre stated that the BCI system may receive regulatory approval and potentially be launched commercially as early as 2028.
