Neuralink, the brain-computer interface (BCI) company founded by Elon Musk, has recently showcased multiple real-world clinical cases demonstrating the groundbreaking advancements of its invasive BCI technology in medical rehabilitation. From enabling ALS patients to 'regain their voice' to allowing paralyzed individuals to control robotic arms with their thoughts, these cases not only affirm the feasibility of the technology but also underscore its potential to reshape human-machine interaction.

Firstly, ALS patients utilize AI to 'complete' language, achieving a seamless loop from brain signals to speech. Bradford Smith, an Arizona-based writer and the third patient to receive a Neuralink implant, lost his ability to move and speak due to ALS. In early 2025, he was implanted with the Neuralink 'Telepathy' device, which accesses the motor cortex through 64 electrode threads thinner than a hair, capturing neural signals in real-time.

Smith's team leveraged the Grok model from Musk's xAI company, combined with pre-illness audio and video materials, to train a personalized AI voice model. When Smith inputs text via the BCI, the AI instantly generates his original voice, completing the loop from 'brain signal → text → speech'. Currently, Smith can effortlessly control a computer for video editing, writing, and communicating with the outside world through AI voice. He stated, 'This has restored my right to express myself, and I can even type faster than before my illness.'

Secondly, a paralyzed individual controls a robotic arm with their thoughts, regaining autonomy in life. Nolan Arbaugh, the first patient to receive a Neuralink implant, continues to captivate attention. Paralyzed from the shoulders down due to a diving accident, he has been able to control cursors, play games like Mario Kart, and even win chess matches since receiving the implant in January 2024.

In the latest case, Arbaugh successfully used his thoughts to control a Tesla robotic arm to play 'Rock, Paper, Scissors', marking a practical application of neuroprosthetic technology. Arbaugh revealed that he has read more in the past 14 months than he did in the previous 11 years combined and plans to return to community college to complete his studies. Additionally, he has found employment through the BCI and is even involved in the reconstruction of his family home, completely eradicating the feeling of being a burden.

Thirdly, monkey experiments validate 'blindsight' technology, with human vision restoration on the horizon. Neuralink concurrently disclosed animal experiment data from its 'Blindsight' project. Engineers stimulated the brains of monkeys through devices implanted in their visual cortices, enabling them to perceive virtual objects. The experiments showed that monkeys accurately turned towards 'virtual objects' preset by researchers in 67% of trials, proving for the first time that BCIs can simulate visual function.

Human blindsight trials will commence in 2026, with an initial goal of restoring black-and-white outline perception. In the future, VR/AR technology may be integrated to create digital vision. By 2028, superhuman multi-spectral vision, including infrared and ultraviolet perception, may be achieved, even integrating deeply with AI.

Early surgeries experienced electrode detachment leading to signal degradation, but through the second-generation surgical robot (which improves implantation speed by 11 times) and software optimizations, the stability of the latest devices has significantly improved. BCIs require continuous collection of brain signals, and data leaks could lead to 'reverse modeling of thoughts'. Neuralink emphasizes end-to-end encryption, but the academic community calls for the establishment of a global regulatory framework. Musk's ultimate goal of 'human-AI symbiosis' has sparked philosophical debates about 'mind uploading' and 'transhumanism'.

Musk Announces Plans to Perform Over 22,000 Brain-Computer Interface Surgeries by 2030

Elon Musk recently announced at a Neuralink online conference that its BCI technology has entered a large-scale clinical phase, with plans to perform implant surgeries for over 22,000 people globally by 2030, attracting widespread attention from the technology and medical communities.

The technology roadmap released by Neuralink reveals that its N1 implant has achieved multiple breakthroughs. Hardware Upgrades: The N1 chip, the size of a coin, contains 1024 electrode contacts. It operates continuously for 24 hours through wireless charging technology, capturing neural signals from the motor cortex in real-time. Surgical Innovation: The second-generation R2 surgical robot reduces implantation time to 25 minutes and improves precision to the micrometer level, significantly reducing surgical risks.

In 2025, the speech cortex implantation plan will be initiated to decode 'intentional speech', helping aphasic patients rebuild their communication abilities. In 2026, the number of electrodes will increase to 3000, and the 'Blindsight' project will commence, capturing images through cameras and converting them into electrical signals to stimulate the visual cortex, aiding the visually impaired in regaining vision. By 2028, over 25,000 electrodes will be implanted, reaching deep brain regions to treat mental illnesses and neuropathic pain, and exploring deep integration with AI.

Currently, Neuralink has completed seven human implant surgeries, with subjects including patients with spinal cord injuries and ALS. Real-world cases show that spinal cord injury patient Alex can control Tesla's Optimus robotic hand to perform delicate actions such as grasping and screwing bottle caps, even playing Mario Kart and designing 3D parts using CAD software. ALS patient Bard regained communication ability six years after losing his speech through brain signal decoding technology and currently continues to work in surveying and mapping.

Neuralink completed a $650 million Series E funding round in June 2025, valuing the company at over $10 billion. Investors include notable firms such as ARK Invest and Sequoia Capital. The company plans to perform 11 surgeries in 2024, increasing to 27 in 2025, 79 in 2026, and cumulatively over 22,000 by 2030.

Musk stated at the conference that the ultimate goal of BCIs is not only to restore lost functions in disabled individuals but also to endow humans with 'superpowers': 'People will be able to see infrared, ultraviolet, and radio waves, essentially gaining superpowers.' Neuralink is developing brain care devices that rewrite electrical signals through implanted microelectrodes, enhancing brain efficiency. According to McKinsey, the global market size for medical applications of BCIs is expected to reach $40 billion by 2030 and exceed $145 billion by 2040.

A-Share Stocks Related to Brain-Computer Interface Concepts Surge Across the Board

Stimulated by the technological breakthroughs of Musk's Neuralink company and its goal of large-scale surgeries by 2030, the A-share brain-computer interface concept sector has witnessed an explosive rally. Stocks such as Chuangxin Medical, Xiangyu Medical, Jihua Group, and Rongtai Health have seen strong gains, with Aipeng Medical surging over 15%, followed by Nanjing Panda, Sanbo Brain Science, and Chengyitong. The overall sector increase hit a three-month high.

The direct trigger for this rally was the Neuralink online conference, where Musk announced that the company had completed seven human implant surgeries, with subjects including four spinal cord injury patients and three ALS patients. Among them, spinal cord injury patient Alex can already control Tesla's Optimus robotic hand to perform complex actions through thought, and ALS patient Bard regained communication ability through brain signal decoding technology.

More notably, Neuralink plans to initiate clinical trials for the 'Blindsight' project in 2026, helping the blind regain sight through visual cortex stimulation, with a goal of performing surgeries for over 22,000 people by 2030. 'Neuralink's progress validates the feasibility of BCIs from the lab to the clinic, particularly the commercialization path in the field of medical rehabilitation,' pointed out an analyst from China Securities. 'Domestic enterprises are accelerating their layout, forming a full industrial chain competition pattern of 'hardware + algorithm + application.'

Chuangxin Medical (002173.SZ), as the leading A-share stock related to brain-computer interface concepts, indirectly entered the field through its investment in Hangzhou Boling Medical, which focuses on the development of motor function reconstruction and speech recovery technologies. The market anticipates that with the clarification of Neuralink's technology path, the domestic medical rehabilitation market will witness an explosion, with Chuangxin Medical poised to be one of the first beneficiaries.

Xiangyu Medical (688626.SH) has an early presence in the field of BCIs, having launched over ten products including group biofeedback training systems and EEG assessment devices, covering the entire process of neural rehabilitation. Its 'Intelligent Rehabilitation Robot Based on Brain-Computer Interface' project received support from Henan Province's Major Science and Technology Special Project and is expected to complete clinical validation by 2026.

Sanbo Brain Science (301293.SZ), as a leading domestic neurological medical specialist, saw its stock surge over 6% today. The company is involved in basic research on the clinical application of BCIs and collaborates with Tsinghua University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences to develop closed-loop neural regulation systems for precision treatment of diseases such as Parkinson's and epilepsy. Institutions predict that its BCI-related business will account for over 15% of revenue by 2025.

Nanjing Panda (600775.SH) has received approval for its 'Multi-Modal Human-Computer Interaction System Based on Brain-Computer Interface' from Jiangsu Province's Key Research and Development Plan. The company's electronics manufacturing division is developing a low-power neural signal processing chip, aiming to reduce EEG acquisition latency to within 5ms to meet real-time interaction needs.

'BCIs solve the 'input' problem, while robots solve the 'output' problem. The combination of the two can achieve a closed loop from thought to action,' said a researcher from Huaxia Fund. 'For example, a paralyzed patient sends instructions through a BCI, and an exoskeleton robot executes the actions. This scenario has entered the clinical stage in the field of medical rehabilitation.'

According to McKinsey, the global market size for medical applications of BCIs is expected to reach $40 billion by 2030 and exceed $145 billion by 2040. Domestically, the market size was $3.2 billion in 2024 and is projected to increase to $5.58 billion by 2027, with a compound annual growth rate exceeding 20%.

In the short term, medical rehabilitation remains the primary commercialization direction. Taking Xiangyu Medical as an example, its BCI rehabilitation devices have entered over 200 top tertiary hospitals nationwide, with a unit price of approximately $120,000 and a gross margin exceeding 65%. In the medium to long term, consumer-level applications (such as mind-controlled games and VR interaction) need to break through technical bottlenecks, and institutions predict gradual popularization after 2030.

From paralyzed individuals controlling robotic arms to ALS patients 'regaining their voice,' BCIs are transforming science fiction scenarios into reality. This round of A-share market momentum is not only a reflection of technological breakthroughs but also a bet on the future of 'human enhancement.' As Musk said, 'This is not just about repairing disabilities but also about endowing humans with superpowers.' Whether Chinese enterprises can transition from followers to leaders in this revolution warrants continued attention.