Brain-computer interfaces are moving toward clinical applications in Shanghai, home to Neuro Space, China's first future-industry cluster dedicated to the technology, in the Hongqiao International Central Business District.
At the cluster's exhibition hall, visitors can start a popcorn machine simply by concentrating, while implantable BCI products approved for medical use are also on display. The technology decodes brain signals to control external devices, offering new possibilities for people with impaired movement.
In March, Neuracle Medical Technology (Shanghai) received the world's first Class III medical device registration certificate for an invasive BCI. Within four months, Huashan Hospital, affiliated with Fudan University, issued the world's first clinical prescription for an invasive BCI for a patient who had lost hand function in a car accident a decade earlier.
Non-invasive applications are also advancing. Shanghai Kongshanci Technology has developed a system that integrates brain imaging, electromagnetic simulation, and robotic control to personalize magnetic stimulation treatment for depression. The company reported that 80 percent of 10 patients saw their depression rating scores drop by more than half after one week of treatment.
Data access and standardization remain crucial to further progress. Lingxiyun Medical Technology has accumulated about 2.1 million clinical and research cases involving brain-function disorders, while Huashan Hospital leads an alliance of 16 hospitals to standardize and securely share intracranial electroencephalogram data.
Shanghai is building support across concept verification, clinical trials, and regulatory approval. A local concept-verification platform has reviewed more than 50 projects, with 14 advancing to incubation. The Shanghai Institute of Medical Device Inspection conducts type inspections for more than 90 percent of implantable BCI products nationwide and has led the drafting of China's first industry standard for BCI medical devices.
In the first half of this year, Shanghai's BCI sector recorded 16 financing rounds totaling about 2.1 billion yuan ($314.5 million), accounting for 38.94 percent of the national total by value, according to the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission.
