The Chinese government loves to plan. Since the fifties they use a system called “Quinquenal Plan” in which they establish their objectives and the steps to achieve them in a period of five years. They also have other long -term plans, such as “Made in China 2025” in which 13 strategic technologies set out to lead (With very good results, by the way). Now China has proposed to lead a new technology, BCI (Brain Computer Interface) devices.
Five years. It is the margin that the Chinese government has been put to create a brain-routine interface industry that is internationally competitive. The road map states that by 2027 they get significant advances and that in 2030 they have a solid industrial ecosystem, with two or three leading companies worldwide.
Government support. To promote the creation of this new industry, the Government will encourage investment in the sector and offer a favorable policy when approved key products such as medical implants. They also consider creating industrial parks specialized in BCI, so that companies work together and collaborate with each other.
Competence. Neuralink, founded by Elon Musk, is the best known company in this sector that has already achieved Place brain implants in humansalthough the Australian company Synchron takes advantage By achieving more brain implants with less invasive techniques. In the United States also highlight Blackrock Neurotech and Paradromics, more focused on research and medical applications respectively.
Chinese companies. Although not as advanced as in other countries, China already has several companies dedicated to this industry. As They count on Wiredone of them is Neucyber Neurotech, a start-up that arises from the Chinese Institute for Brain Research and has already placed its Beinao-1 implant in five paralyzed patients. Participants are now able to move a cursor and navigate between different apps. They have also done it with a semi-invasive method that places the implant in the outer layer of the brain, greatly reducing the surgical risk.
Neuroxess is another of the companies that is achieving significant advances. In their case they have placed their implant in six patients with paralysis; Three could control devices and with the other three they managed to accurately decode the Chinese language. And of course Brainco, one of the “Six Little Dragons” de Hangzhou which was founded in the United States, but moved to China after government incentives. In this case they are focused on prostheses such as this hand that is controlled with the brain and its advantage is that they are pioneers in mass production and offer products to the consumer market.
A different approach. While the Neuralink approach is more radical, both for using invasive methods and for its idea of implanting chips to everyone, China’s plan opts for a more specific bet for health applications. In addition, semi-invasive techniques such as Neucyber Neurotech want to focus and promote non-invasive BCI devices such as Brainco to conquer the mass market (not everyone will want to implant a chip in the head).
Use cases. The document mentions “Wearable” BCI products such as helmets or glasses that could be used in different areas. A case of use would be the prevention of traffic accidents alerting in case of drowsiness or lack of attention. Also in industries where they work in conditions or with hazardous materials, alerting low levels of oxygen, preventing poisoning or fainting.
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