At a recent technology conference in Beijing, a Chinese company introduced a new brain-computer interface that allowed a monkey to control a robotic arm just by thinking about it. The system, developed by NeuCyber NeuroTech and the Chinese Institute for Brain Research, involves soft electrode filaments implanted in the brain, as reported by state-run news media outlet Xinhua.
Similar systems have been tested in the US to help paralyzed individuals control robotic arms, but China is quickly making advancements in its own brain-computer interface technology. These interfaces collect and analyze brain signals to allow direct control of external devices like robotic arms or smartphones.
William Hannas from Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology notes that China is rapidly catching up with the US in BCI technology. While China has typically focused on noninvasive BCI technology worn on the head, they are now exploring implantable interfaces for medical purposes.
However, there are concerns about China’s interest in noninvasive BCIs for the general population. A report released by Hannas in March highlighted Chinese research on BCIs for nonmedical applications, including cognitive enhancement for healthy individuals. The guidelines released by the Communist Party in February 2024 include exploring nonmedical purposes such as attention modulation, sleep regulation, memory regulation, and exoskeletons for augmentative BCI technologies.
In the US, companies like Emotiv and Neurable are also developing wearable BCIs for cognitive enhancement. The Department of Defense has funded research on wearable interfaces for military applications.
