36氪精选：修复瘫痪、增强常人，脑机接口会成未来人类「外挂」吗？

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the emerging potential of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) in consumer healthcare over the next five to ten years, highlighting significant advancements and investments in the field, particularly in the context of medical applications and the integration of AI technologies [5][10]. Group 1: Industry Developments - In mid-2025, notable advancements in BCIs include Neuralink's $650 million funding round, raising its valuation to $9 billion, and expanding its applications to include speech and vision restoration for patients [5]. - Synchron secured $200 million in Series D funding, while Paradromics received FDA approval for clinical trials focused on speech function restoration [6]. - Chinese companies like JieTi Medical are progressing steadily in clinical trials and product optimization under strict regulatory frameworks, with their invasive BCI systems entering the "green channel" for innovation review by the National Medical Products Administration [6][7]. Group 2: Applications and Future Prospects - BCIs are categorized into three main application areas: brain-controlled output (e.g., decoding movement intentions), neural modulation (e.g., deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's), and sensory reconstruction (e.g., restoring hearing and vision) [9]. - The clinical value of BCIs in treating diseases is expected to be validated within the next three to five years, improving patients' quality of life and work capabilities [10]. - The consumer healthcare aspect of BCIs is anticipated to emerge in the next five to ten years, transforming human-machine interaction and enhancing efficiency through direct brain control of devices [10]. Group 3: Technological Innovations - The second-generation high-throughput wireless BCI system developed by JieTi Medical features 256 electrode channels, expanding its application from motor control to language reconstruction [7]. - The implantation process involves minimally invasive techniques, allowing for stable signal collection from the brain with low latency, comparable to natural brain function [13]. - Accumulating single-cell data from BCIs is crucial for advancing neuroscience and enhancing product design, with the potential for significant breakthroughs in understanding brain functions [14][15]. Group 4: AI Integration and Future Implications - AI and algorithms are expected to play a vital role in processing complex brain data, with the potential to create foundational models that improve the performance of BCIs for new patients [17][18]. - The relationship between BCIs and AI is seen as a dynamic interplay, where human intentions can guide AI actions, leading to more sophisticated control of devices [18]. - The integration of BCIs could enable humans to exceed current physical capabilities, with examples showing that BCI users can achieve faster control speeds than average individuals [19][20]. Group 5: Ethical Considerations and Human-Machine Fusion - The development of BCIs is viewed as a necessary step towards deep human-machine integration, serving as a bridge for communication between humans and AI [20][21]. - Concerns about AI potentially evolving beyond human control highlight the importance of maintaining human agency in the development of these technologies [21].