China Performs First Commercial Brain-Computer Interface Surgery in Shanghai

On July 15, a coin‑sized brain‑computer interface (BCI) device called Neo, developed by Shanghai startup Neuracle Medical Technology, was implanted in a patient at Huashan Hospital in Shanghai. The patient, who lost hand function after a car‑accident‑induced spinal‑cord injury ten years ago, received an epidural implant that reads brain signals and translates them into hand‑grasp movements. The surgery marked the first prescription issued after the Neo system received market approval on March 13, making it the world’s first commercial invasive BCI used in a clinical setting.

Post‑operative monitoring showed stable vital signs and high‑quality brain‑signal acquisition. The procedure demonstrates China’s entry into the commercial BCI market, aligning with the government’s inclusion of brain‑implant technology in its Five‑Year Plan and recent multi‑ministerial initiatives to accelerate BCI development. The milestone positions China alongside global competitors such as Neuralink and underscores a broader push to translate advanced neurotechnology from laboratory trials to patient care.