ISLAMABAD: China has officially entered the race in advanced neurotechnology by launching clinical trials of brain-computer interface (BCI) devices in humans, becoming the second nation to do so after the United States.
The first Chinese BCI brain chip was implanted in a 37-year-old man who lost all four limbs in an electrical accident. In a groundbreaking moment, the patient successfully used only his thoughts to play the popular video game Mario Kart.
The trial was conducted at the Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology (CEBSIT) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
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Scientists now aim to advance the BCI chip further to enable users to control robotic limbs or artificial intelligence agents directly via neural signals.
The device uses ultra-thin electrodes, inserted through a small opening in the skull, to capture brain signals. These electrodes are so flexible and soft that they can exist in harmony with brain tissue without triggering immune responses.
“This allows the electrode to coexist harmoniously with brain tissue over extended periods without triggering rejection,” said Zhao Zhengtuo, one of the lead researchers at CEBSIT.
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The development places China in direct competition with U.S.-based startups like Neuralink, founded by Elon Musk, which is also testing brain implants on human subjects.
Musk has long advocated for BCI technology, claiming it will eventually allow humans to control computers, enhance intelligence, and possibly merge with artificial general intelligence (AGI).
Neuralink recently raised $650 million in new global funding, aiming to implant millions of people over the next decade.
China’s latest achievement underscores a rapidly intensifying global race to redefine the relationship between the human brain and machine intelligence.
