China is preparing Tianjin as a center for the development of brain-computer interfaces (BCI). The city has just inaugurated a special BCI industrial cluster and targets 50 innovative, competitive companies by 2027.
Based on a report by China Daily, quoted Tuesday, June 16, the industrial cluster is expected to accelerate the implementation of the results of noninvasive BCI research into the market. Noninvasive BCI is a technology that reads brain signals without surgery or the installation of a device inside the body.
Tianjin also released a plan of action for the development of BCI in the period 2026-2030. In the document, the city wants to expand the use of BCI products in the health sector, education, advanced manufacturing, and other fields.
By 2030, Tianjin will establish an industry fund group worth more than 10 billion yuan or about 1.48 billion US dollars. The city is also pushing more than 10 types of noninvasive BCI products into widespread clinical use.
"BCI has become a core arena of global technological competition, as major countries strive to build their respective technological competitiveness," said Ni Guangjian, Deputy Executive Director of the Haihe Laboratory of Brain-Computer Interaction and Human-Machine Integration, as quoted by China Daily.
The laboratory holds three world records and manages the world's largest patent portfolio in the field of BCI. According to Ni, Tianjin's noninvasive BCI technology has reached world-class standards.
The strength of Tianjin, said Ni, lies in the complete industrial chain. The city has an ecosystem from research, electrodes, algorithms, core chips, system integration, to real-world applications.
"Tianjin's unique strength lies in its complete industrial ecosystem, covering every link from electrodes, algorithms, core chips, to system integration and application demonstrations," said Ni.
Tianjin is also preparing human resources. In 2024, Tianjin University opened the first undergraduate program in China that specifically studies BCI.
In the high-tech zone of Tianjin Binhai New Area, nearly 20 upstream and downstream companies have gathered. They form a cluster that includes hardware research, software development, and system integration.
One of them is Tiankai Suishi (Tianjin) Intelligent Technology Co. The company, which was established in 2023 and incubated by Haihe Laboratory, is developing medical devices and BCI-based therapy solutions.
Tiankai Suishi's General Manager, Gu Bin, told China Daily that the company's product is now available in dozens of hospitals in more than 10 provincial-level regions in China.
One clinical case involves a stroke patient who is paralyzed on the right side of the body. In rehabilitation exercises, the BCI system captures the patient's movement shadow to operate the therapy device.
After undergoing treatment, the patient was able to turn over independently. Basic motor function in his right leg also began to recover.
This technology works by connecting the signals of the mind and physical movement. In that way, paralyzed limbs can be moved based on the patient's own commands, not solely on the help from the outside.
Gu said BCI can also be used for mental health, including depression screening and therapy. In critical care, this technology helps with rapid diagnosis for hydrocephalus, which is an abnormal buildup of brain fluid.
For hearing rehabilitation, cochlear implants based on BCI help children with hearing disorders not only hear sounds, but also understand language.
Haihe Lab is located in Huayuan Sci-Tech Park, an area that houses about 17 percent of high-tech companies in Tianjin.
Yang Liu, Secretary of the Party of the Binhai New Area High Technology Zone, said Huayuan has become one of the most dynamic innovation centers in Tianjin due to its strong research business, innovation, and commercialization ecosystem.
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