Huashan Hospital affiliated with Fudan University in Shanghai has carried out its first brain implant procedure prescribed by a doctor, rather than as part of a clinical trial. The surgery was needed to restore hand function: the patient, who underwent the operation at Huashan Hospital, had sustained a spinal cord injury in a car accident ten years earlier. This resulted in impaired hand grip and limited ability to perform self-care tasks.
Surgeons implanted the NEO system—an invasive brain implant roughly the size of a coin, featuring a brain-computer interface. It collects and decodes neural signals, identifies movement intentions, and establishes a communication link between the human brain and an external device: a glove that compensates for hand function. According to doctors, the patient’s vital signs are normal following the procedure, and brain activity signals are stable and of high quality.
Chinese experts note that the implantation of NEO in an actual patient—rather than in a laboratory setting—was achieved in record time. Only four months have passed since the implant was approved by China’s National Medical Products Administration. The device is now authorized for widespread use and is being included in medical insurance coverage.
Looking ahead, China plans to actively develop the brain-computer interface industry: by 2027, the number of such procedures is expected to increase, and by 2030, the goal is to fully implement clinical application of these products, establish mass production, and ultimately create a national-level agglomeration zone for the development of this industry.
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