Doctors from Tongji Medical College perform fully invasive brain-computer interface surgery on a patient. (Photo provided to China News Service)

China: Paralyzed Patient Undergoes First “Invasive Brain-Computer Interface” Surgery at Tongji Medical College! (14.8.2026)

The patient, identified by the pseudonym Hu Damin, has been bedridden for two years following a spinal cord injury. Doctors implanted eight ultraflexible electrodes into her motor cortex. Each electrode, dozens of times thinner than a human hair, can capture neural signals linked to her intention to move.

The BCI system is designed to bypass the damaged spinal cord and translate brain signals into commands for devices such as computer cursors, smartphones and wheelchairs. Through rehabilitation training, doctors hope to help her regain fine motor functions in her upper limbs.

The implanted device is reportedly China’s first high-throughput BCI product capable of recording single-neuron-level signals and has been recognized as an innovative medical device by the National Medical Products Administration.

Smallest Mechanical Heart"

China: Child Recieves World’s Smallest [Magnetically Levitated] “Artificial Heart”! (28.4.2025)

The device, measuring 2.9 centimetres in diameter and weighing 45 grams, is the smallest and lightest of its kind globally, according to the hospital.

Operating at an optimal speed range of 1,500 to 3,600 revolutions per minute, it establishes a stable blood circulation system within young, low-weight paediatric patients, the hospital said.

This artificial device functions like a high-powered motor, allowing fatigued ventricles to rest while maintaining systemic blood circulation, effectively helping acute heart failure patients through critical periods with both minimally invasive procedures and notable efficacy, CNR reported.