China is making strides in developing brain-computer interface (BCI) technology, marked by new progress in clinical applications.
BCI technology enable interaction between biological and machine intelligence by building information channels between the human brain and machines. The Chinese government sees it as a priority in the country's push to develop high-tech industries and has unveiled a roadmap to achieving breakthroughs in the BCI industry by 2027.
At Beijing Tiantan Hospital, which launched the country's first Brain-Computer Interface Clinical and Translational Ward earlier this year, the first patient has recently seen improvement in his condition since his treatment began.
The 50-year-old male patient used to work as a truck driver. A cerebral hemorrhage two years ago left him paralyzed on the left side of his body.
In June, he underwent a "Beinao-1" BCI procedure at Beijing Tiantan Hospital, during which doctors implanted a semi-transparent flexible electrode beneath his skull and against the dura mater surface, enabling real-time transmission of neural signals from the cerebral cortex to external decoding devices. The "Beinao-1" is semi-invasive, fully implantable wireless BCI system developed by the Chinese Institute for Brain Research and NeuCyber NeuroTech.
"Preoperative functional MRI is used to locate the target area. We place the flexible electrode epidurally over the motor cortex and continuously verify during surgery that we are receiving clear neural signals. Only then can we ensure the success of postoperative signal acquisition, decoding, and limb motor control," said Cao Yong, executive deputy director of the Neurosurgical Center at Beijing Tiantan Hospital.
During postoperative training, whenever the patient moves his limbs, the system captures the neural signals, which are decoded by algorithms to drive external devices and assist rehabilitation. After a few months, the patient's upper limb mobility showed significant improvement.
"BCI is no ordinary clinical work as it involves computational science, computing, bioscience, and clinical practice. It is a multidisciplinary collaboration. For example, we work with the Chinese Institute for Brain Research (CIBR) and chip companies across different institutions. By establishing this ward, Beijing Tiantan Hospital has created a platform that integrates expertise in technology, computing, electrophysiology, and clinical imaging, connecting the entire chain of BCI clinical trials and accelerating progress in the field," explained Zhao Jizong, a neurosurgeon and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
China's brain-computer interface tech makes progress in clinical applications
