In China, a paralysed patient received a brain chip implant – and he will be able to move his hands again
When technology ceases to be the domain of laboratories and begins to change the lives of real people, we see the true meaning of progress. For a man who has been unable to clench his fingers or climb stairs for ten years, a brain‑computer interface is not just a scientific term — it is a ticket to freedom. The first commercial operation in China opens a new era where artificial intelligence and neurosurgery work together to restore lost abilities.
On Monday, at Huashan Hospital affiliated with Fudan University in Shanghai, China's first commercial brain‑computer interface (BCI) implant surgery was performed after the domestically developed system received market approval. The system is designed to compensate for hand movement disorders. The patient, a man surnamed Xu, sustained a spinal cord injury in a car accident ten years ago, which impaired his hand‑grasping function and limited his ability to perform daily activities independently. Despite years of rehabilitation, functional recovery remained limited. Intraoperative testing showed stable and high‑quality epidural brain signals, and his postoperative vital signs remained stable. The device will be activated and calibrated after wound healing, with home‑based rehabilitation support.
Lying in his hospital bed, Xu expressed his deep hope: "I have great faith in the hospital's technology. My biggest dream is to climb stairs again and unclench my right‑hand fingers. Faster recovery will improve my quality of life." Xu's injury is localised at the C3–C6 cervical spine level, which falls within the device's indications. The Huashan team used functional MRI and cortical structure modelling to pinpoint the electrode placement site and performed positioning during surgery. Electrophysiological testing confirmed stable function. "We expect this surgery to enable him to perform grasping movements, which will be useful in daily life," said Chen Liang, deputy director of the neurosurgery department.
From receiving the registration certificate on 13 March to issuing the world's first clinical prescription on 13 July, the domestically developed BCI device went from innovation to clinical application in just four months. Shanghai authorities expedited the entire approval process, while the hospital completed price registration, equipment procurement and patient screening. "Real‑world data collection will help us refine the technology and provide more patients with safer treatment options," said Mao Ying, president of Huashan Hospital. The BCI system is covered by Shanghai's local medical insurance programme, making it more accessible.
The brain‑computer interface is one of the most promising areas of neurotechnology. China's invasive BCI system is the world's first to receive market approval. Its application in spinal cord injuries opens new rehabilitation possibilities for patients with limb paralysis. As CCTV+ reports. The success of the first commercial operation in Shanghai sets a precedent for the adoption of such technologies across China, offering hope to millions of people with disabilities.
