Chinese scientists create a less invasive brain-computer interface than Elon Musk’s chip

A team of Chinese researchers from Tsinghua University and Xuanwu Hospital in Beijing announced the success of the first clinical trial of a brain-computer interface (ICC) wireless and minimally invasive, local media reported today.

The trial, which was carried out on a patient with complete spinal cord injury, showed that the subject could operate pneumatic gloves using brain electrical activity after 3 months of CCI rehabilitation training at home, with a gripping precision greater than 90%according to a statement published this Wednesday by Tsinghua University.

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The ICC, called NEO, consists of a set of electrodes that They are placed outside the dura mater, the outer layer of strong tissue that covers and protects the brain and spinal cord located closest to the skull.

The electrodes transmit brain signals to an external computerwhich interprets them and controls external devices.

This innovation, which is powered and transmits signals using near-field wireless technology, eliminates the need for internal batteries, which reduces the risk of infection and complications.

The announcement of the trial results came just a few hours after billionaire Elon Musk, owner of the company Neuralink, published a message on the social network X stating that the company had successfully implanted a chip in the brain of a human. .

The NEO has several differences with the Neuralink chip, such as the placement of the electrodes outside the dura mater, which makes it less invasive, while the one from the American company implants them directly into the cerebral cortex.

In turn, while the Neuralink chip requires internal batteries, the Chinese CCI is powered and transmits signals using wireless technology, which reduces the risk of infection and complications for the former, according to the trial researchers.

The global market for CHF medical applications is estimated between $40 billion and $145 billion in the period 2030-2040, according to a 2023 study by consulting firm McKinsey, which divides it between serious medical applications, such as the rehabilitation of spinal cord injuries, and consumer applications, such as improving cognitive performance.

Source: Elcomercio

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