This is not an episode of… well, most sci-fi shows—it’s real technology transforming lives in China. This summer, BrainCo, a neurotechnology company founded in 2015 and incubated at the Harvard Innovation Lab, launched a groundbreaking mind-controlled bionic hand. The innovation allows users to control a robotic hand directly through brain signals, enabling them to perform precise and demanding activities such as calligraphy, playing instruments, and indoor bouldering.
BrainCo is no newcomer to brain–computer interface (BCI) technology. Specializing in EEG (electroencephalogram) wearables and neurofeedback systems, the company has been developing brain-signal-based products since 2019. It was the first Chinese team accepted into the Harvard Innovation Lab, and its R&D network includes talent from Harvard, MIT, and Tsinghua University.
Initially, BrainCo focused on using EEG monitoring for focus training among students and athletes. Today, it is shifting toward assistive technologies to help people with disabilities regain independence through prosthetic limbs.
The new humanoid hand is roughly the size of an average adult woman’s hand and consists of two main components: a fully produced hand section featuring ten movable joints and six degrees of freedom. This structure gives users highly precise control, allowing them to grasp small objects, write, and even climb.
The hand is priced at around 9000 USD online—a significant cost, but one that offers life-changing potential for amputees. BrainCo’s next step is to develop a more advanced bionic leg, focusing more on the non-invasive brain-computer interface assisting in the medical area. Check the promo video below to see just how precise BrainCo’s bionic hand can be.
Cover Image via CNR.
