China is preparing to launch a nationwide pilot program deploying its domestically developed brain-computer interface (BCI) system in top-tier hospitals by 2027, as part of an ambitious effort to cultivate a self-reliant brain-computer technology industry. Officials aim to establish a scalable, replicable model for clinical adoption of BCI technology in the country.

Zhang Lei, director of the Instrumentation Core at the Chinese Institute for Brain Research in Beijing and general manager of NeuroCyber NeuroTech, revealed that the initial BCI system, Beinao-1 (also called the NeuCyber Matrix BCI System), is expected to complete enrollment for its registrational clinical trials this year and pursue a medical device registration certificate next year. Meanwhile, Beinao-2 (NeuCyber Array BCI System), a more advanced invasive BCI, is undergoing large animal testing and plans to begin clinical validation by the end of 2026.

Beinao-1 is a semi-invasive, wireless device designed with a flexible electrode array that rests on the cortical surface, contrasting with fully invasive systems like Neuralink that penetrate deep brain tissue. Beinao-2, by contrast, employs a high-throughput microelectrode array implanted into brain tissue to detect individual neuronal firing signals.

Clinical results have been promising. Zhang noted that a quadriplegic patient with a spinal cord injury implanted with Beinao-1 in February 2025 has regained the ability to control a robotic arm, muscle stimulation systems, and a computer cursor, alongside gradual recovery of upper limb function. Another patient paralyzed from the waist down for five years showed partial restoration of neurological function within three months of implantation.

A five-year clinical plan led by Zhao Jizong, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a leading neurosurgeon, calls for 36 total human implantations of Beinao-1 in 2026. Following this, broader pilot deployment at qualified hospitals nationwide is anticipated in 2027. By 2030, China intends to establish comprehensive clinical guidelines and technical standards for BCI systems to support wider adoption.

Currently, 16 medical centers across China are participating in Beinao-1 clinical trials, and 16 patients have received implants to date. The longest implantation has exceeded one year. The system has accumulated over 55,000 hours of safe operation, facilitating patient activities ranging from robotic limb control to motor function rehabilitation.

Highlighting the significance of evolving BCI technology, Zhao Guoguang, president of Beijing’s Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, emphasized progress from non-invasive to semi-invasive and fully invasive systems over the past decade. Advances in microelectrodes and neural implant chips now enable invasive approaches to access cortical signals directly, offering enhanced precision and higher bandwidth communication between brain and machine—a critical factor for accurate control and complex information transfer.