Recently, the Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligent Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, together with Huashan Hospital affiliated to Fudan University, and in cooperation with related enterprises, successfully carried out the first prospective clinical trial of invasive brain-computer interface in China.

This is not a small achievement, it means that China has taken a key step in the field of invasive brain-computer interface technology, becoming the second country in the world to enter the clinical trial stage after the United States.

Extremity amputees regain "control"

The subject of this trial was a man who had his limbs amputated as a result of a high-voltage accident. Starting in March 2025, he implanted this new brain-computer interface device.

After just 2 to 3 weeks of training, he was able to use brain signals to perform some daily operations, such as playing chess and racing games. Moreover, his level of operation is already close to the level of ordinary people using a computer touchpad. This is not only a huge personal achievement, but also a source of hope for more patients like this in the future.

Ultra-flexible neural electrodes: brain cells barely "feel" its presence

At the heart of this technology is an ultra-small, ultra-flexible neural electrode, developed and produced by the Center for Excellence in Brain Intelligence of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It has several very powerful features: its size is extremely small: the diameter of the electrodes is only 1/100th the size of a human hair.

Extremely flexible: The electrodes are so soft that brain cells are barely "aware" of a foreign object next to them, minimizing damage to brain tissue.

High-density and wide-range recording capability: It can achieve high-density, large-range, long-term stable signal acquisition, ensuring clear and reliable signals.

The huge potential behind technological breakthroughs

This ultra-flexible neural electrode has been validated for long-term implantation and stable documentation in rodents, non-human primates, and humans. It solves the key bottlenecks of poor electrode histocompatibility and narrow channel bandwidth at the front end of implantable brain-computer interfaces, and provides a pioneering solution.

A "hardcore" breakthrough in technology

The key device used in this clinical trial is a wireless invasive brain-computer interface implant independently developed by the Center for Excellence in Brain Intelligence of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

How miniature is its size? It has a diameter of 26 mm (almost a one-dollar coin) and a thickness of less than 6 mm. In other words, it's just a "little disc" that takes up little space in your head.

The benefits of this compact design are numerous: it is more operationally friendly: there is no need to make a large hole in the entire skull; Minimally invasive operation: simply "thin" a coin-sized groove in the skull above the motor cortex of the brain, and then make a small hole of 5 mm; Lower risk and faster recovery: Minimally invasive neurosurgery greatly reduces the risk of surgery and significantly shortens the recovery time after surgery. In a word: small body, big energy, and the surgery is safer.

In order for this little device to really work, it is not enough to put it in, it has to be placed precisely in the "control center" of the brain. So how do scientists do this? Doctors at Huashan Hospital can be said to have used a "high-tech navigation system": functional magnetic resonance imaging is used to map the function of the patient's brain; Combined with the human brain atlas database for precise positioning; Create a unique 3D brain model for each subject to ensure that the implant location is exactly right.

The whole process is comparable to the "brain version of GPS navigation", accurate to the millimeter level, which ensures the safety and effectiveness of the operation to the greatest extent.

It is not only a medical miracle, but also an industrial opportunity

The next step is for the project team to try to get the subject to use a robotic arm so that he can grasp and hold a cup in physical life. The follow-up will also involve the control of complex physical peripherals, such as the control of intelligent agent devices such as robot dogs and embodied intelligent robots, to expand the boundaries of life.

From an investment point of view, there is great potential behind such technological breakthroughs: in the field of medical devices, miniaturized and wireless implantable devices will become the future trend; Medical rehabilitation industry: provide new treatment pathways for patients with paralysis and amputation; Artificial intelligence and human-computer interaction: Once the brain-computer interface is popularized, it will greatly expand the application boundaries of AI. High-end manufacturing and materials technology: ultra-flexible electrodes, microchips, biocompatible materials, etc. will become key links in the industrial chain.