- There has been a remarkable first for brain-computer interfaces
- A commercially sold BCI has been implanted for the first time
- It comes from the Chinese company Neuracle Medical Technology
A remarkable advance in brain-computer interfaces (BCI) has occurred this week: surgeons in China have successfully implanted a commercially sold BCI into the brain of a patient for the first time.
As reported by the South China Morning Post, the device is called the Neural Electronic Opportunity (NEO) and is manufactured and sold by Neuracle Medical Technology. It is the size of a coin and is equipped with eight electrodes.
While we’ve seen these kinds of brain implants used in controlled tests and clinical trials, this is the first time a BCI has been purchased and implanted — thanks to the China National Medical Products Association, which approved the NEO for sale in March.
It’s an area of research and innovation that the Chinese government is keen to do very well in: the authorities have drawn up a plan that sets out key goals in BCI technology to be achieved by 2027, with targets around both devices and the framework needed to support them.
Just the start
As we know from previous experiments with NEO, the device looks for neural signals from the sensory and motor control areas of the brain. These are then translated into actions that are then transferred to a metal glove worn by the patient.
The system can also be used to control computers, phones and other devices, as well as robotic limbs, its developers say. These devices will inevitably get smarter and smaller over time, so we can expect many more developments like this in the future.
According to reports, the person involved was in a car accident a decade earlier, which left them with a damaged spinal cord and reduced hand mobility. After the procedure, the patient was said to be improving, with normal brain signaling observed.
The obvious point of comparison is Neuralink, led by Elon Musk. While Neuralink devices have been successfully implanted in several cases, these BCIs do not yet have regulatory approval in the United States and are not commercially available.
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