You must have heard the name of Elon Musk’s Neuralink, Musk’s team has been working on it for years, but now a report has revealed that in the race for commercialization of brain chip, China has gone one step ahead of Elon Musk’s Neuralink. According to Chinese media reports, doctors in Shanghai have performed the world’s first commercial brain computer interface (BCI) implantation. In this, a device approved by the regulator has been used so that the hand of a patient with spinal cord injury can function properly.
This successful process takes BCI technology beyond clinical trials and into real-world medical use. After this Chinese implant, China is now ahead in this race, while Elon Musk’s Neuralink is still testing its implants in humans.
Which patient was selected and who created this technology?
According to the report, this surgery took place at Huashan Hospital affiliated with Fudan University in Shanghai. The patient had suffered a spinal cord injury in a car accident about ten years ago and even after several years of rehabilitation, he was not able to use his hands properly. A multidisciplinary medical team conducted an examination, after which the patient was selected for the procedure using Neural Electronic Opportunity (NEO). It is a brain-computer interface system developed by Neural Medical Technology of Shanghai.
According to Chinese officials, the patient remained stable after the surgery, while tests conducted during the procedure showed that the device was successfully capturing high-quality brain signals. In March, China’s National Medical Products Administration approved Neo for commercial use, making it the world’s first approved implantable brain-computer interface, classified as a Class III medical device, according to Chinese officials.
What is Neo System?
The Neo system reads signals from the brain and converts them into commands for external devices. The coin-sized implant is placed on the surface of the brain instead of deep inside it. When a patient thinks about moving his or her hand, the device captures those brain signals and sends them to a computer, which turns them into commands to control the robotic glove. According to the company, its aim is to help people suffering from paralysis to regain hand movement and do everyday tasks independently.
Neuralink vs Neo
Elon Musk’s Neuralink is also working on similar technology and has implanted brain chips in many patients under the ongoing clinical trials in the US. Its first product, called Telepathy, is designed to help people with paralysis control computers, smartphones and other digital devices using only their thoughts.
Although Neuralink has successfully implanted brain chips in many patients, it is still a part of clinical trials. On the other hand, Neo has already received commercial approval in China, so that it can be used to treat patients in hospitals. Neuralink is yet to receive full commercial approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
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