A Chinese research team has successfully launched the country’s first human clinical trial of an invasive brain-computer interface (BCI), enabling a man who lost all four limbs in an electrical accident to play games like chess and racing using only his mind.
The groundbreaking procedure was conducted in March 2025 by scientists from the Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology (CEBSIT) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Huashan Hospital of Fudan University. With this, China becomes the second country after the United States to bring invasive BCI technology to the clinical stage.
The implanted device, roughly the size of a coin, has functioned steadily with no signs of infection or electrode failure. Researchers hope the system will gain regulatory approval by 2028 and significantly improve the lives of patients with spinal cord injuries, limb amputations, or conditions like ALS.
The BCI system reads brain signals and translates them into commands for external devices, allowing direct communication between the brain and machines. The ultra-thin electrodes—just 1% the width of a human hair—minimize damage to brain tissue and can capture clear, single-neuron signals over long periods.
Lead researcher Zhao Zhengtuo said the system, tested earlier in rodents and monkeys, allows high-density, long-term signal acquisition. It also supports real-time decoding, converting neural activity into control commands in milliseconds—faster than a blink.
The minimally invasive surgery, led by Huashan Hospital’s Lu Junfeng, used millimeter-precision navigation to place the electrodes into the patient’s motor cortex. Lu emphasized the importance of accuracy in maximizing both safety and effectiveness.
There are three types of BCI technologies: non-invasive, semi-invasive, and invasive. Explaining their differences, Lu likened them to microphone placements in a football stadium—with invasive methods offering the clearest, most direct “sound” from the brain.
The team now aims to help the patient control a robotic arm to perform tasks like holding cups and later interact with more complex tools such as robot dogs and intelligent machines.
The trial marks a critical milestone in turning BCI from a lab-based concept into practical medical technology, with the potential to redefine independence for people with severe physical disabilities.
Source: Xinhua
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