China has successfully made history in the field of neurotechnology after successfully performing the surgery to implant the world's first commercial brain chip using an invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) device. This strategic move strengthens the country's position in the global tech race, while challenging the dominance of Elon Musk's Neuralink.
The historic surgery took place at Huashan Hospital in Shanghai on a patient who suffered hand paralysis due to a spinal cord injury in a traffic accident ten years ago. The surgical team successfully implanted a coin-sized chip capable of capturing high-quality and stable epidural brain signals. Currently, the patient is reported to be in recovery with stable vital signs.
This cutting-edge technology is named NEO, a chip developed by a local startup, Neuracle Medical Technology. Unlike other extreme invasive methods, NEO works by being placed on the outer surface of the brain without penetrating active neural tissue. This device is responsible for capturing the brain's electrical activity and translating it into motor movement instructions for the hand.
The main advantage of NEO lies in its status as the world's first official commercial medical product approved by the National Medical Products Administration of China (NMPA) since last March. This commercial status distinguishes NEO from other BCI devices that are still stuck in laboratory clinical trial stages. In a short time, this technology has entered mass production lines and begun to be integrated into commercial health insurance programs in China.
This success aligns with the Chinese government's roadmap, which targets the BCI sector as a new driver of economic growth. Beijing aims for the maturity of this industry by 2027 and projects the birth of several global tech giants in the BCI field by 2030. Neuracle itself has taken aggressive funding steps by launching an initial public offering (IPO) on Shanghai's tech-heavy Star Market.
On the other hand, this development surpasses the achievements of its main competitor in the United States. Although Elon Musk's Neuralink has implanted chips in dozens of patients since early 2024, all of these procedures are still limited to clinical trials and have not yet obtained full commercial clearance from the FDA. Neuralink only aims for mass production and full automation of its surgical procedures by 2026.
