China completed the first commercial brain chip – computer implantation

According to an announcement by the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission on July 15, a coin-sized chip model called Neo, developed by startup company Neuracle Medical Technology, was implanted in the brain of a patient with reduced hand mobility due to spinal cord damage from a car accident 10 years ago using an invasive method.

The anchor is placed on the outer surface of the brain instead of through tissue, reading nerve signals and converting them into hand movements. The surgery was performed earlier this week at Huashan hospital with positive results. The computer system receives “stable, high-quality” brain signals from the epidural. The patient is currently not affected by the chip, and is recovering with a stable vital index.

BCI is a combination of the human brain and computer, translating brain activity into messages or commands for interactive applications. Not only supporting sick people, technology is expected to enhance the abilities of healthy people, helping them complete tasks that were previously impossible.

Theo SCMPthe successful Neo implantation marked the first time a commercialized BCI device was attached to a patient in China. Previously, Neuracle Medical Technology’s system was approved for market sale by the China National Medical Products Administration from March 13, instead of being limited to laboratories and clinical trials.

Neuracle Medical Technology was founded in 2011 in Shanghai, considered a competitor of Neuralink co-founded by Elon Musk. According to Telepathydespite being tested on about 20 patients, Neuralink has not yet received full commercial approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The above milestone also marks China’s ambition in the BCI race, both in the field of invasive and non-invasive intervention. According to CNBCBeijing recently included this technology in the category of “future industries” in its latest Five-Year Plan, while promoting the development of brain implants.

In August 2025, seven Chinese ministries jointly issued a plan to promote the BCI industry, aiming to achieve an important breakthrough in 2027. In June, the Anhui provincial government announced an action plan to accelerate BCI development in the fields of research, production and industrialization. Prominent Chinese companies in this segment include BrainCo, StairMed or NeuroXess (or Brainno).

According to the Grand View Research report in early 2026, the total global BCI market reached 168.27 billion USD in 2025, expected to grow at an annual rate (CAGR) of 1.52% in the period 2026-2033.