China approves brain implant to restore hand movement in paralysis patients

China has approved the world’s first invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) implant for commercial medical use, paving the way for a new treatment option to help some people with paralysis regain hand movement.

The device, known as NEO, was developed by Shanghai-based Neuracle Medical Technology and is designed to help adults with certain spinal cord injuries who cannot grip objects but retain some movement in their upper arms.

The implant records electrical signals generated by the brain when a patient thinks about moving their hand. Software then decodes the signals and sends commands to a robotic glove, enabling the user to open and close their hand to grasp objects.

Unlike some experimental brain-computer interfaces that place electrodes directly into brain tissue, NEO’s electrodes sit beneath the skull but outside the brain’s protective covering.

The approval marks a significant step in the commercial development of neurotechnology, which seeks to connect the brain with external devices to restore lost functions.

It also gives China an early lead in the commercial deployment of invasive brain-computer interfaces, as rival technology developed by Elon Musk’s Neuralink remains under clinical investigation in the United States.

However, NEO has a narrower medical application, targeting a specific group of people with spinal cord injuries. Its approval does not establish that China has surpassed Neuralink or other developers across the wider field of brain-computer interface technology.

Brain-computer interfaces work by detecting and interpreting brain activity to control external devices. Researchers are exploring their potential to help people with paralysis communicate, operate assistive technology and regain some movement.

The commercial approval of NEO could mark a transition from experimental brain-computer interface systems towards regulated medical applications, although its benefits and limitations will depend on clinical outcomes and the patients eligible to use it.