China completes world’s first interventional brain-computer interface experiment on human patient

A Chinese research team led by Nankai University has achieved a major breakthrough in brain-computer interface (BCI) technology by conducting the world’s first interventional human BCI experiment.

The procedure, performed on a 67-year-old stroke patient with left-side paralysis, restored significant limb function, allowing him to perform tasks like grasping and taking medicine.

Unlike invasive methods like Elon Musk’s Neuralink, this new technique implants a stent electrode through neck blood vessels into the brain’s blood vessel wall, avoiding skull-opening surgery. A wireless device under the skin collects and transmits brain signals.

The system has worked safely and effectively, reducing surgical risks and recovery time while maintaining high signal accuracy. The breakthrough offers hope for stroke and paralysis patients, with plans underway to expand clinical trials and rehabilitation research.

Credit : CGTN