(ECNS) -- China has become the world's second country, after the United States, to reach the clinical trial stage for invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) technology.
The trial was jointly launched by the Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CEBSIT), Huashan Hospital affiliated with Fudan University, and some enterprises, Xinhua News Agency reported.
The participant, a man paralyzed following a high-voltage electrical accident, received the BCI implant in March. Since then, the system has operated stably with no reported infection or electrode failures.
After two to three weeks of training, the patient is able to play chess and racing games, achieving control comparable to a normal individual using a computer touchpad.
Brain-computer interfaces are typically categorized into three types based on device proximity to brain tissue: invasive, semi-invasive, and non-invasive, with invasive systems delivering the highest signal quality while posing the greatest technical challenges.
According to the research team, the BCI system consists of a coin-sized neural implant and two hair-thin electrodes. Connected to the implant, these electrodes measure merely one-hundredth the diameter of a human hair, while the implant itself is 26mm in diameter and under 6mm in thickness.
The research team will test robotic arm control by the participant, with subsequent trials targeting advanced external devices, including robotic dogs and embodied intelligent robots.
Upon approval for market entry, this system is projected to significantly enhance the quality of life for groups with complete spinal cord injuries, upper-limb amputations, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), media reported. (By Zhang Dongfang)