Neuralink challenger: World-first brain-spinal implant helps paralyzed patients walk

China’s neural bypass technology restores nerve function, challenging U.S. dominance in neurotechnology.

Updated: Mar 20, 2025 07:24 AM EST

For decades, paralysis from spinal cord injuries has been seen as irreversible. Even advanced brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), like those developed by Elon Musk’s Neuralink, assume that paralyzed limbs are beyond saving. But a groundbreaking clinical trial in China has challenged this notion.

Researchers at Shanghai’s Fudan University have successfully enabled four paralyzed patients to regain control of their legs just hours after undergoing minimally invasive surgery. The trial involved implanting electrode chips in both the brain and spinal cord, reestablishing communication pathways that had been lost due to injury.

The results were astonishing. Within 24 hours, the patients could move their legs again. Within weeks, they were able to walk independently. Some even reported restored nerve sensations.

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