Beijing Xinzhida Neurotechnology, a Chinese state-backed company, has unveiled a brain chip, dubbed Neucyber, according to a Reuters report. This Chinese development is similar to the technology pioneered by Elon Musk’s Neuralink startup.
The Neucyber implant, a brain-computer interface (BCI), was reportedly showcased at the annual Zhongguancun Forum in Beijing, where it demonstrated remarkable capabilities during tests on a monkey. According to the state-run Xinhua news agency, the Neucyber implant enables the monkey to control a robotic arm through its thoughts alone, marking a significant milestone in China’s technological advancements.
The technology, dubbed China’s first “high-performance invasive BCI,” was developed independently by Beijing Xinzhida Neurotechnology, It has backing of the Beijing municipal government’s state asset regulator.
While neither the scientists nor Xinhua explicitly mentioned Musk’s Neuralink, the unveiling of Neucyber underscores China’s ambitions to rival Neuralink’s groundbreaking achievements. This move aligns with China’s strategic focus on BCI technology, as evidenced by its classification as a key “cutting-edge emerging technology” by the country’s ministry of industry and information technology at last year’s Zhongguancun Forum.
Unlike Neuralink, which has already conducted human trials, Neucyber is yet to undergo such testing. However, the development of Neucyber represents a significant step forward for China in the field of brain-computer interfaces.
The announcement comes amid growing global interest in BCI technology and its potential applications in treating neurological disorders, addressing brain injuries, and exploring other applications. Last month, Musk, the founder of Neuralink, announced via a post on X (formerly Twitter) that a first human received an implant. Musk, who also is also the chief of Tesla and SpaceX, mentioned that the patient underwent the procedure the day before the announcement and is reportedly recovering well. Without giving much details, he also noted that initial results indicate promising neuron spike detection. When Neuralink announced its intention to recruit participants in September, the company specified its search for individuals with quadriplegia due to cervical spinal cord injury or ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
