Storyline: Chinese hospitals accelerate clinical applications of brain-computer interfaces [Voice_over] To aid the recovery of patients with neurological disorders, Chinese hospitals are increasingly turning to brain-computer interfaces, or BCIs, that can translate thoughts into digital commands. At the country's first BCI clinical ward in Beijing, a 50-year-old patient paralyzed on his left side has regained significant arm mobility after a flexible electrode was implanted under his skull in June. The device enables a novel therapy that retrains the brain's neural pathways while rehabilitating the arm's muscles. [Sound_bite] Cao Yong, executive deputy director, Neurosurgical Center, Beijing Tiantan Hospital: "Preoperative functional MRI is used to locate the target area. We place the flexible electrode epidurally over the motor cortex and continuously verify during surgery that we are receiving clear neural signals. Only then can we ensure the success of postoperative signal acquisition, decoding, and limb motor control." [Voice_over] Scientists say dedicated BCI wards like this one are crucial for accelerating the expansion of these kinds of procedures to a wider range of neurological conditions. [Sound_bite] Zhao Jizong, neurosurgeon/academician, Chinese Academy of Sciences: "BCI is no ordinary clinical work as it involves computational science, computing, bioscience, and clinical practice. It is a multidisciplinary collaboration. For example, we work with the Chinese Institute for Brain Research (CIBR) and chip companies across different institutions. By establishing this ward, Beijing Tiantan Hospital has created a platform that integrates expertise in technology, computing, electrophysiology, and clinical imaging, connecting the entire chain of BCI clinical trials and accelerating progress in the field." [Voice_over] In August, China released a set of guidelines to promote the development of the BCI industry, aiming to achieve key technological breakthroughs by 2027. [Restrictions : No access Chinese mainland]