China’s BrainCo bets on wearable brain tech
China’s BrainCo bets on wearable brain tech
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/11/chinas-brainco-bets-on-wearable-brain-tech.html
Publish Date: 2026-07-11 09:45:00
Source Domain: www.cnbc.com
Brain-computer interfaces, a nascent technology, establishes a direct link between human minds and devices.
BrainCo
Elon Musk’s Neuralink, which uses implants in people’s heads to compensate for disabilities, has become the poster child for so-called brain-computer interfaces (BCI). But some companies are betting that mass-market neural tech won’t require opening the skull at all.
BCI works by processing brain signals and translating them into commands, allowing external devices to be controlled by thought.
Funding for startups in the field is a fraction of the capital flowing into artificial intelligence. But interest in the nascent field is rising as companies notch up milestones, such as enabling people with degenerative conditions including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to type or play video games using brain signals.
AI is a catalyst, boosting signal-processing capabilities. Some in the industry envision a further leap one day: using the mind to control or connect with AI and robots.
The technology is raising the stakes in the U.S.-China rivalry. The Chinese government included BCI as a strategic “future industry” in its latest Five-Year Plan. Regulators recently approved what officials call the world’s first minimally invasive BCI device for commercial use, developed by Neuracle Medical Technology to regain some hand function after spinal cord injuries.
While companies including China’s StairMed and NeuroXess push ahead with implants, the non-invasive field is gaining momentum – from the Sam Altman-backed Merge Labs to China’s Gestala, both pursuing ultrasound-based approaches.
BrainCo, one of the so-called “six little dragons” of tech startups in the eastern city of Hangzhou, makes prosthetics and wearable devices using BCI technology.
Rui Ma, founder of the Tech Buzz China media and research platform, said that while today’s proven BCI applications can dramatically improve the quality of life for severely impaired patients, the far bigger market likely…
