ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Chinese researchers are testing brain chip implants that could help restore mobility to patients suffering from neurological disorders, marking a major step forward in brain-computer interface (BCI) technology.
“We can be finished with the trials this year, and they are going to be approved next year,” after which “they can be mass-produced for helping patients,” Li Yuan of NeuCyber NeuroTech told Rudaw on Sunday.
The technology involves implanting smart microchips into the human brain to receive and interpret brain signals, allowing patients to control external devices through thought alone.
Neurological disorders account for nearly a quarter of the global disease burden, including conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, heart attack, depression, and paralysis, many of which still lack effective treatments.
Researchers say the technology is progressing rapidly and could soon move beyond clinical trials.
The implanted chips process brain signals and convert them into data that computers can understand, enabling direct communication between the brain and machines.
“This is a specialized chip for the BMI (Brain-Machine Interface) system. It is different from chips used in phones or cars because it has to process brain signals and translate them into signals that computers can process,” Zhao Mingwei of GenAns Biotech told Rudaw.
The technology has already advanced beyond laboratory testing and has entered clinical trials, according to researcher Wei Chengyu. Researchers estimate that the cost of implantation could eventually fall to less than $500,000 per patient.
“We currently have about sixty patients in our clinical research, and these patients have received AIH treatment. In the early unblinded clinical trials, they showed clinical therapeutic potential,” he told Rudaw.
Although the technology remains in the testing phase, experts believe it could transform the treatment of neurological diseases by allowing the brain to directly control devices and assist patients in regaining lost functions.
If successful, brain-computer interface systems could eventually become a common procedure in hospitals, creating new possibilities for treating paralysis and other neurological conditions.
Globally, interest in the field has grown rapidly in recent years. In the United States, companies such as Neuralink and Synchron have developed implantable devices designed to help patients control computers and other devices using their thoughts. Several patients have already received experimental implants as part of clinical studies.
Mahdi Faraj contributed to this article from China.
