China approves string of ‘telepathy’ devices amid push to leapfrog Elon Musk

Chinese regulators have approved a group of brain-technology products this year, as local start-ups push to surpass Musk’s Neuralink

China’s health regulators have granted approvals for a string of brain-technology products this year, as domestic start-ups push to transform the treatment of conditions ranging from paraplegia to Alzheimer’s and depression.

The approvals come as Beijing bids to lead the world in brain-computer interfaces – devices that allow patients to control digital devices using thought alone – offering generous policy support to help Chinese firms compete with overseas players such as Elon Musk’s Neuralink.

Among the brain tech products to win Chinese market approval recently is a system developed by a domestic firm named Tiankai Suishi (Tianjin) Intelligent Technology, which helps doctors assess whether a patient’s cognitive functions have been impaired.

The device is a cap studded with electrodes that fits over a patient’s scalp and can be used to read the electrical signals given off by the brain, according to an article posted to the company’s official WeChat feed. It was approved by China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) on August 19, official records show.

Tiankai Suishi also sells BCI devices that aid early diagnosis of cognitive dysfunction linked to conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia. It is currently seeking regulatory approval for a product to assist with diagnosing depression.

The company, founded in 2023, has registered capital of 10.67 million yuan (US$1.59 million), according to the corporate database Qichacha. It is led by Gu Bin, who completed a doctoral degree at Tianjin University’s medical school, according to Chinese media reports.