Do you know your thoughts can control technology? Tsinghua BCIs make it possible!

The School of Biomedical Engineering (BME) at Tsinghua Medicine , Tsinghua University, is driving pioneering research in brain–computer interfaces (BCI) in China.

Profs Gao Shangkai and Gao Xiaorong established the country’s first BCI research team. In 2023, Prof Hong Bo’s team developed a wireless minimally invasive BCI system, NEO, and completed its first clinical trial. As of August 2025, 32 patient implantation surgeries have been performed, positioning the team at the forefront of global BCI research.

In the same period, Prof Gao Xiaorong proposed an in-ear BCI enabling text input, while Associate Prof Dai Xiaochuan developed a biomimetic scaffold-based bioelectronic system achieving a carbon-silicon hybrid BCI. Prof Zhang Mingjun introduced a next-generation “embodied intelligent BCI,” integrating neural interfaces with robotic intelligence.

At the 2025 Tsinghua Medicine Opening Ceremony, BCI technology was applied in the freshmen initiation event. Six representatives wore BCI devices. Among them, four utilized an attention paradigm, where frontal EEG signals were analyzed to measure attention levels. When their attention exceeded a predefined threshold, a banner would rise. The other two participants employed a steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) paradigm, where occipital EEG data was compared to visual stimuli. When the similarity exceeded the threshold, a banner would ascend on the screen.

BCIs convert brain electrical activity into computer-recognizable commands, enabling thought-driven control and digital interaction, demonstrating the translational potential of advanced neuroengineering at Tsinghua.