China approves brain chip to overcome paralysis

China has approved a brain implant that enables people with paralysis to move their hands. The regulatory nod, granted to Neuracle (Borui Kang Medical Technology) in Shanghai, is the world’s first approval of an invasive brain–computer interface for commercial use.

Neuracle’s brain chip, called NEO, is a coin-sized device containing eight electrodes that is placed on one side of brain’s dura mater above the primary sensorimotor cortex. The electrodes record neuronal electrical activity when a person imagines moving their hand. The signals are sent to a computer, decoded, and then used to control a robotic glove worn by the patient, moving their hand.