China surpasses Elon Musk's Neuralink for world's first commercial brain-computer interface implant: Car crash victim receives coin-sized chip that converts neural signals into hand movements

There has been a notable development in brain-computer interfaces
A commercially sold BCI is implemented for the first time
It comes from the Chinese company Neuracle Medical Technology.

This week saw a notable breakthrough in the field of brain-computer interfaces (BCI): surgeons in China have successfully implanted a commercially sold BCI into a patient’s brain for the first time.

As reported by the South China Morning Post, the device is called Neural Electronic Opportunity (NEO) and is manufactured and sold by Neuracle Medical Technology. It is the size of a coin and is equipped with eight electrodes.

While we have seen these types of brain implants used in controlled trials and clinical trials, this is the first time a BCI has been purchased and implanted, thanks to the China National Medical Products Association approving the sale of the NEO in March.

just the beginning

Neuralink logo and chip.

Neuralink is working on its own chip (Image credit: Getty Images/NurPhoto)

As we know from previous NEO trials, the device looks for neural signals from the sensory and motor control regions of the brain. These are then translated into actions which are then transmitted to a metal glove worn by the patient.

The system could also be used to control computers, phones and other devices, as well as robotic limbs, its developers say. These devices will inevitably become smarter and smaller over time, so we can expect many more developments like this in the future.

The individual involved was reportedly in a car accident a decade earlier, which left him with a damaged spinal cord and hand mobility issues. After the procedure, the patient was said to be recovering well and normal brain signaling was observed.

The obvious point of comparison is Neuralink, run by Elon Musk. While Neuralink devices have been successfully implanted in several cases, these BCIs do not yet have regulatory approval in the US and are not commercially available.

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