China’s Jiangsu Province has inaugurated its first specialized research ward for brain-computer interfaces (BCI) at Nanjing Jinling Hospital, affiliated with Nanjing University Medical School. The ward aims to serve patients undergoing BCI surgeries, providing comprehensive care including preoperative assessments, intraoperative precision, and postoperative rehabilitation, as well as advanced data collection and analysis.
The facility is outfitted with innovative rehabilitation tools such as a ceiling rail system to assist patients in standing and walking safely, limb function training equipment, speech and swallowing therapy devices, and brain electrical stimulation technology. This ensures a full chain of care from initial evaluation to postoperative recovery.
The ward also focuses on patient comfort, featuring warm-colored interiors and 40-Hz gamma brainwave music to stimulate cognitive restoration. A dedicated team manages assessments, training, data collection, and nursing, guaranteeing professional and scientific patient care.
In June, the hospital successfully conducted its first semi-invasive BCI surgery on a 52-year-old patient paralyzed for eight years following a spinal cord injury. The device, placed outside the dura mater, minimizes risks such as infection or bleeding compared to fully invasive technologies like Neuralink.
Three months after surgery, the patient showed remarkable progress, regaining hand function and demonstrating the potential of BCI technology to restore independence in daily tasks such as eating, drinking, and dressing.
Currently, the ward primarily targets quadriplegic patients, but future plans include expanding BCI applications to neurological conditions such as epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke rehabilitation, offering hope to a wider range of patients with neurological impairments.
This initiative marks a major step in translating BCI research from the lab to clinical practice in Nanjing, giving patients renewed hope for recovery and independence.
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