Seven Ministries Issue Comprehensive Roadmap for Brain-Computer Interface Industry Advances

Recently, seven central government bodies—the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Education, the National Health Commission, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the National Medical Products Administration—jointly unveiled the Implementation Guidelines on Promoting Innovation and Development of the Brain-Computer Interface Industry. This directive establishes a detailed blueprint for industry expansion, calling for accelerated breakthroughs in implantable device research and enhanced regulatory guidance and priority support for implantable brain-computer interface medical devices. 

According to the Guidelines, by 2027, critical technologies underlying brain-computer interfaces should have achieved decisive progress, supported by the preliminary formation of advanced technical, industrial, and standards frameworks. Electrode arrays, microchips, and integrated systems are expected to reach internationally competitive performance levels, while applications across manufacturing, healthcare, and consumer sectors accelerate. The plan envisions the emergence of two to three regional industry clusters and the cultivation of novel use cases, business models, and service offerings as the sector scales.

Looking ahead to 2030, the Guidelines anticipate a significant elevation of the industry’s innovation capacity within a secure and resilient ecosystem. The goal is to foster two to three globally influential market leaders alongside a cadre of specialized, innovative small and medium-sized enterprises, thereby assembling an internationally competitive industrial landscape and establishing the country among the world’s foremost centers for brain-computer interface development.

Brain-computer interfaces create direct communication channels between neuronal circuits and machines, representing a frontier technology that merges life sciences with information technology to enable coordinated interaction between biological and artificial intelligence. Innovation in this field continues to accelerate, and the sector is poised for disruptive breakthroughs that cement its role as a critical arena for integrated technological and industrial progress.

The Guidelines distinguish between implantable and non-implantable systems, emphasizing the need to fast-track advancement of implantable solutions. They call for next-generation devices that combine high-density neural recording sensors with ultra-low-power implantable chips, introduce enhanced intention-recognition capabilities, and improve control precision and responsiveness. Established therapies—including unidirectional and bidirectional deep brain stimulators, responsive neurostimulators, and cochlear implants—are also slated for refinement to elevate signal acquisition fidelity and therapeutic efficacy.

nnovation in non-implantable devices is likewise prioritized, with encouragement to develop formats such as forehead patches, ear patches, in-ear modules, and hair-clip interfaces. These products are to evolve toward lighter weight, higher data throughput, and reduced power consumption. Integrated headgear solutions—including helmets, virtual reality headsets, smart glasses, and specialized earphones—should be developed in conjunction with existing consumer electronics platforms to facilitate iterative upgrades and broad deployment.

The Guidelines further advocate creation of auxiliary devices that merge neural signals with multimodal physiological data—such as electromyography, electrooculography, electrocardiography, and near-infrared spectroscopy—to enhance interactive control and sensory assessment precision. They also prioritize development of high-precision surgical robots capable of submicron-level accuracy and dynamic adjustment, improving real-time imaging, targeted delivery, and three-dimensional reconstruction during implantation procedures.

To underpin these technological initiatives, the document calls for a series of flagship projects that strengthen collaborative research and application demonstrations. It proposes increased investment from sources such as the National Manufacturing Transformation and Upgrading Fund and the National SME Development Fund, alongside a science-industry-finance integration initiative designed to attract additional private capital. Key implantable medical devices will receive priority registration pathways and regulatory guidance, while the first-unit insurance compensation policy will be leveraged to expedite industrialization.

Since early 2025, regulatory bodies have introduced supportive measures for implantable brain-computer interfaces. On March 11, the National Healthcare Security Administration issued provisional pricing guidelines for neurological medical services, specifying fees for device implantation and removal. On May 12, Zhejiang Province’s healthcare security administration published fixed rates—RMB 6,580 per implantation and RMB 3,150 per removal—mirrored by similar pricing in Hubei and Jiangsu provinces.

In June, the Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with Huashan Hospital affiliated with Fudan University and industry partners, completed China’s first prospective clinical trial of an implantable brain-computer interface. This achievement positions China as the second country, after the United States, to advance such technology into clinical testing.

Ni Changmao, Executive Deputy General Manager of Wuhan Zhonghua Brain-Machine Integration Technology Development Co., Ltd., remarked that establishing clear pricing will lower barriers to adoption and unlock new market opportunities. Lan Chunquan, Vice President of Huafeng Capital, emphasized that breakthroughs in brain science demand close collaboration among researchers, clinical institutions, investors, and government, and he cautioned emerging enterprises to balance immediate operational needs with sustained investment in core technological R&D to ensure long-term success.