China agrees to sell its first brain chips, and has a plan to control the industry

China rose history by becoming the first country to approve a commercially available brain chip to treat disability. NEO, the implant developed by Neuracle Medical Technology, translates a paralyzed person’s thoughts into assistive robotic hand movements.

After 18 months of tests that proved its safety, China’s National Medical Products Administration allowed the transplant to be performed on people aged 19 to 60 who suffer from paralysis caused by neck or spinal cord injuries that prevent them from moving their limbs.

According to to Of course, the cranial implant is approximately the size of a coin. Eight electrodes protrude from the chip and are placed on the brain, in the area that processes body movement. When the user imagines moving their hand, the chip sends a signal to a computer, which then translates it into actions performed by the prosthetic.

In practical terms, Neo allows thought to activate a mechanical glove capable of performing basic tasks: picking up objects, handling utensils, or transporting toiletries. Sources consulted by the magazine indicate that 32 people have already tested the device without reporting any harmful side effects.

Although several companies are developing brain implants and brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), none have yet received a license to market their innovations as treatments. Even advanced projects, such as Neuralink, have encountered side effects that have stalled any regulatory approval.

Plan to control the brain implant industry

The development comes just months after China issued a policy document outlining the country’s strategy to create a globally competitive BCI industry within five years. The plan identifies 17 steps to lead the research, development and application of these technologies.

“The Chinese government has always supported revolutionary technologies. I think from the government’s perspective, this policy means that BCI technology has really moved from the concept level to the product level,” Phoenix Peng, co-founder of NeuroXess and Gestala, both BCI companies, told WIRED earlier this year.

The policy document encourages mass production of non-surgical, non-implantable devices in various forms: forehead-mounted, head-mounted, and ear-mounted, such as hearing aids, masks, and glasses. It is also proposed to test these technologies in high-risk sectors, such as handling hazardous materials, nuclear power, mining, and electricity generation.

Currently, brain transplants have a clear goal: restoring independence to people with disabilities. There are experimental devices that allow users to communicate with “thoughts,” operate computers without moving a muscle, and even technologies that are beginning to restore vision. With the commercial approval of Neo, the industry enters a new phase.

This story originally appeared on WIRED in Spanish It was translated from Spanish.