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A Chinese technology news website reported that the CyberSense flexible microelectrode implantation robot, developed by the Institute of Automation at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has passed the preliminary acceptance stage for Shenzhen’s major scientific infrastructure project on “Brain Mapping and Brain Simulation.” The robot is designed to implant flexible microelectrodes – thinner and softer than a strand of hair – into the cerebral cortex of experimental animals, providing crucial support for brain-computer interface (BCI) and neuroscience research.

Guided by an intelligent sensing system, CyberSense robot can achieve micron-level three-dimensional precision, implanting multiple micro-thread electrodes (≤10 microns thick, ≤100 microns wide) while avoiding brain blood vessels. Because the implantation process uses a hard needle that repeatedly moves up and down to handle the soft threads – much like a sewing machine – researchers refer to it as a “sewing machine”-style implant.

Once implanted, the flexible microelectrodes can transmit the brain’s neural electrical signals to a microchip. The chip processes and communicates these signals to interpret the brain’s information processing activities and control external devices. It can also stimulate nearby neurons via microcurrents to regulate brain activity.

Implantable BCI offers powerful benefits such as thought-controlled devices, speech synthesis, and vision restoration for people with disabilities. It also allows scientists to study brain function using high-throughput neural data. However, they also raise ethical concerns for humanity.

On July 3, 2024, Tianjin University announced that it has cultivated human brain organoids from human stem cells and successfully connected them to a robot using on-chip BCI technology. They called it the first human brain controlled robot.

Source:
1. Bioon.com, May 6, 2025
https://news.bioon.com/article/29648e48460b.html
2. IT Home, July 5, 2025
https://www.ithome.com/0/779/903.htm