Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Brain-Computer Interface Demonstration Ward Officially Unveiled

Background

Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital established its Brain Disease and Brain Science Center to advance research and treatment in neurological conditions. Brain-computer interface technology has been identified as a key area in China's strategic emerging industries, offering potential for clinical applications in functional reconstruction and rehabilitation for neurological diseases. On the afternoon of May 7, 2026, the hospital held an unveiling ceremony at its southern campus academic lecture hall for a new brain-computer interface application scenario demonstration ward.

What was achieved

The demonstration ward was officially unveiled as the nation's first standardized application scenario ward integrating multiple categories of brain-computer interface equipment. It is built around the Brain Disease and Brain Science Center and designed to integrate clinical diagnosis and treatment, scientific research and innovation, achievement transformation, industrial collaboration, and ethical governance into one specialized facility. Hospital Party Secretary Xia Haiming stated that the southern campus acts as a reform and innovation test field, with centralized setup of seven major medical centers providing support for BCI technology implementation. The hospital formed a special ethics review working group involving clinical experts, ethicists and jurists to ensure safety. The target is to build it into a national BCI clinical research and translational application demonstration base within three years. The ward has begun explorations including thought-controlled exoskeleton rehabilitation.

How it works

Brain-computer interfaces function by capturing electrical or other signals from the brain that correspond to a person's intentions or neural activity. Sensors, which can be non-invasive such as EEG caps or more direct interfaces, record these signals. Computer algorithms then decode the signals to interpret what the individual is attempting to do, for example, moving a limb. These decoded commands can drive external devices like an exoskeleton, allowing the patient to practice movements through thought. This process is intended to aid in rebuilding neural pathways through neuroplasticity.

The ward integrates various BCI devices and combines them with neuromodulation methods such as ultrasound, electrical and magnetic stimulation to activate or inhibit abnormal brain circuits or repair damaged ones. Nanjing University has achieved key breakthroughs in non-invasive brain-computer interaction and ultrasound neural regulation. Applications are focused on conditions including post-stroke recovery, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury and disorders of consciousness.

What it means for international patients

This development in clinical translation of BCI technology could have relevance for international patients with difficult-to-treat neurological disorders seeking advanced rehabilitation options. Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital has an established record of international collaboration, holding annual International Vision Week events that convene experts from countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore and others, and signing cooperation agreements with global medical institutions for talent training, research and clinical advancement. The hospital group has provided medical services to patients from more than 60 countries through its international medical departments.

Patients should directly contact the hospital to confirm eligibility for the demonstration ward, specific services available to international patients, and any requirements, as these details were not reported in coverage of the unveiling.

About the hospital

Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital is a Grade III Class A general hospital in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. Founded in 1892, it is one of the earliest Western medicine hospitals in China and serves as an affiliated hospital of Nanjing University Medical School. The hospital has more than 3,500 beds and over 6,000 employees. It features strong disciplines including rheumatology and immunology, which ranks among the top nationally, reproductive medicine, orthopedics, sports medicine, neurology, neurosurgery and rehabilitation. It operates a Brain Disease and Brain Science Center at the southern campus and is noted for high rankings in national performance assessments of tertiary public hospitals. The hospital actively pursues international exchanges and has partnerships with medical centers worldwide.