Breakthrough in Brain-Computer Interface: Neuralink Achieves Minimally Invasive Implantation and Chinese Firms Accelerate Clinical and IPO Progress

Brain-Computer Interface Achieves Another Milestone Breakthrough.

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This month, Elon Musk’s Neuralink announced the completion of the world’s first brain-computer interface surgery involving epidural implantation.

In this new technology,Brain-Computer Interface Implantation Surgery No Longer Requires Incising or Resecting Any Dural Tissue. The first surgery was performed this May with the assistance of a team led by renowned Canadian neurosurgeon Andres Lozano,During the procedure, all 1,024 electrode wires were directly implanted into the brain by penetrating the dura mater.. This technological breakthrough is extremely challenging, as the electrode wire is finer than a human hair, while the dura mater is more than ten times thicker than the electrode wire.

The results showed that within one hour after the surgery, the subject was able to control the on-screen cursor using only their thoughts; postoperative recovery met expectations, and the patient was discharged the following day.

This is a key breakthrough for brain-computer interfaces in terms of safety, surgical efficiency, and scalable implementation.。

Bypassing the dural incision step,It is equivalent to eliminating the most delicate and highest-risk manual step during surgery.. The significantly reduced exposure area of brain tissue can substantially lower the risks of infection, inflammation, and intracranial hemorrhage.

As early as last December, Musk had already revealed that Neuralink planned to launch mass production of its devices in 2026, adopting a "highly streamlined, nearly fully automated" surgical procedure. Now,Neuralink has Achieved Clear Breakthroughs in the Field of Automation。

In the aforementioned surgeryThroughout the entire process of implanting electrode wires, the surgical robot played a key role.The puncture needle penetrates the intact dura mater, and the flexible platinum electrode wire is advanced into the cortex before being steadily withdrawn, leaving the electrode wire within the neural tissue; the dura mater at the puncture site closes naturally. The implantation of each electrode wire is guided by the synergistic integration of optical coherence tomography (OCT) and fluorescence angiography data, completely eliminating blind spots in the subdural field of view.

During this process, surgeons require minimal manual intervention, which also provides a more standardized protocol for the subsequent promotion and application of this technology, thereby reducing surgical complexity.

Since the first participant received an implant in 2024, a total of 26 subjects have enrolled in Neuralink’s clinical trials globally as of June this year. Currently, Neuralink’s developments have become a key benchmark for progress in the brain-computer interface (BCI) industry, and this technological breakthrough serves as an inspiration to the entire sector.

The advancement of brain-computer interfaces is still in the first stage, with technological refinement and breakthroughs being key. In one of the hottest innovation tracks in the medical field,Domestic companies are also refusing to be outdone, with a number of firms rapidly advancing their R&D and registration efforts.。

On July 7, NeuroXess announced that its independently developed “Implantable Brain-Computer Interface System for Compensatory Hand Motor Function” has officially initiated GCP-registrational clinical trials at Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University. This marks the first subdural cortical surface-implantable brain-computer interface product in China to enter the clinical trial stage for Class III medical device registration.

As of June 15, the “Beinao No. 1” semi-invasive intelligent brain-computer interface system completed its 27th clinical implantation. The company expects to complete full enrollment in 2026 and submit for regulatory approval in 2027.

Rising in tandem with technological innovation isCapital Markets。

On July 3, Gestala, China’s first ultrasonic brain-computer interface company, announced the completion of its RMB 420 million Angel+ round of financing. Established just six months ago, the company has now raised a total of RMB 570 million, including the RMB 150 million secured in its Angel round in March.

NeuroBooster officially launched its A-share listing counseling in June, with a planned fundraising amount of 2.5 billion yuan. NeuroBooster’s NEO-ONE SCI (Implantable Brain-Computer Interface System for Hand Motor Function Compensation) received Class III medical device registration approval in March this year, becoming the world’s first invasive brain-computer interface medical device to enter the clinical application stage.

This also means that, following BrainCo’s earlier confidential filing for an IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, the race to become the first publicly listed brain-computer interface (BCI) company has become even more suspenseful.

From a policy perspective, national and local governments have demonstrated their strongest commitment to supporting the development of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). The 15th Five-Year Plan Outline explicitly lists BCIs as an emerging industry and a new driver of economic growth.

Recently, Lei Ping, a member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), led a team to Shanghai for research purposes. The team conducted on-site visits to innovative medical device enterprises specializing in brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). Lei emphasized the need to fully leverage the supporting roles of full-chain service platforms for BCI medical devices and regional branches for technical review and inspection of medical devices. He stressed the importance of moving testing, review, and inspection services upstream in the development process, accelerating result transformation across the entire value chain, and cultivating and strengthening new drivers for future industries.

Brain-Computer Interfaces Under the Dual Support of Funding and PolicyThe potential of the sector has been fully unlocked, ushering in a critical window of opportunity for the entire industry chain.。