China Is Building a Brain-Computer Interface Industry

In a policy document released this month , China has signaled its ambition to become a world leader in brain-computer interfaces , the same technology that Elon Musk’s Neuralink and other US startups are developing.

Brain-computer interfaces, or BCIs, read and decode neural activity to translate it into commands. Because they provide a direct link between the brain and an external device, such as a computer or robotic arm, BCIs have tremendous potential as assistive devices for people with severe physical disabilities.

In the US, Neuralink , Synchron , Paradromics , and others have sprung up in recent years to commercialize BCIs. Now, China boasts several homegrown BCI companies, and its government is making the development of the technology a priority.

Jointly authored in Ju