emirates7 - The Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology (CEBSIT) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in collaboration with Huashan Hospital of Fudan University and industry partners, has successfully carried out China’s first prospective clinical trial involving an invasive brain-computer interface (BCI).
According to a report by China Central Television (CCTV), this achievement positions China as the second nation, after the United States, to advance invasive BCI technology to the clinical trial phase.
In this groundbreaking trial, a Chinese man who lost all four limbs in a high-voltage electrical accident 13 years ago was able to play racing and other video games using only his thoughts, following just two to three weeks of training with the implanted BCI device.
There are currently three main types of BCI technologies: non-invasive (which requires no surgery), semi-invasive, and invasive (both of which involve surgical intervention).
The invasive BCI system used in this study was independently developed by Chinese researchers for clinical applications. It is coin-sized and implanted into a specially thinned section of the skull.
The system uses ultra-flexible neural electrodes—only 5 to 8 mm long—that are inserted into brain tissue through minimally invasive surgery. These electrodes, thinner than one-hundredth the width of a human hair, have a highly intricate design.
Each electrode tip contains 32 microsensors, developed through semiconductor processing, capable of detecting subtle neural signals in the brain. This marks the development of the world’s smallest and most flexible neural electrode to date.
Zhao Zhengtuo, a CEBSIT researcher, explained that the electrodes are so soft that the force needed to bend them is comparable to the interaction between neurons, allowing them to remain in the brain for extended periods without causing immune reactions or tissue rejection.
The team is aiming to secure regulatory approval by 2028 and hopes the system can significantly improve the quality of life for patients with complete spinal cord injuries, upper limb amputations, and conditions like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
In the next stage of development, researchers plan to enable the patient to control a robotic arm to grasp and manipulate everyday items like cups. They also intend to explore more complex applications, including controlling robot dogs and advanced intelligent robots, to broaden the user’s functional capabilities and independence.
According to a report by China Central Television (CCTV), this achievement positions China as the second nation, after the United States, to advance invasive BCI technology to the clinical trial phase.
In this groundbreaking trial, a Chinese man who lost all four limbs in a high-voltage electrical accident 13 years ago was able to play racing and other video games using only his thoughts, following just two to three weeks of training with the implanted BCI device.
There are currently three main types of BCI technologies: non-invasive (which requires no surgery), semi-invasive, and invasive (both of which involve surgical intervention).
The invasive BCI system used in this study was independently developed by Chinese researchers for clinical applications. It is coin-sized and implanted into a specially thinned section of the skull.
The system uses ultra-flexible neural electrodes—only 5 to 8 mm long—that are inserted into brain tissue through minimally invasive surgery. These electrodes, thinner than one-hundredth the width of a human hair, have a highly intricate design.
Each electrode tip contains 32 microsensors, developed through semiconductor processing, capable of detecting subtle neural signals in the brain. This marks the development of the world’s smallest and most flexible neural electrode to date.
Zhao Zhengtuo, a CEBSIT researcher, explained that the electrodes are so soft that the force needed to bend them is comparable to the interaction between neurons, allowing them to remain in the brain for extended periods without causing immune reactions or tissue rejection.
The team is aiming to secure regulatory approval by 2028 and hopes the system can significantly improve the quality of life for patients with complete spinal cord injuries, upper limb amputations, and conditions like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
In the next stage of development, researchers plan to enable the patient to control a robotic arm to grasp and manipulate everyday items like cups. They also intend to explore more complex applications, including controlling robot dogs and advanced intelligent robots, to broaden the user’s functional capabilities and independence.