A Chinese startup says it can implant a brain-computer interface through a neck vein, avoiding the open-skull surgery used by Neuralink.
Shanghai-based StairMed Technology says its device travels through blood vessels to reach the brain, with a surgeon potentially positioning it in around 10 minutes.
The company has raised more than 1.1 billion yuan, about $163 million, backed by Tencent and Alibaba, as China expands its BCI industry.
However, the 10-minute procedure is still a target, and StairMed has only tested it on sheep and has not started human trials.
The idea is not new, as a US company, Synchron, has already implanted its Stentrode device in 10 patients across trials in the US and Australia since 2023.
Author: Saikat Bhattacharya
