A team of Chinese researchers has independently developed a robotic system capable of implanting ultra-thin, flexible microelectrodes into the brains of animals.

The robot was designed by experts from the Institute of Automation at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and has been preliminarily approved as part of Shenzhen’s major brain analysis and simulation infrastructure initiative.

Equipped with several proprietary technologies, the robot is compatible with a range of flexible microelectrodes and enables accurate cortical implantation in both rodents and non-human primates, according to Yu Shan, head of the research team at CAS.

This innovation allows scientists to implant electrodes that are thinner and more flexible than a human hair into the brain’s cortex, advancing brain research and brain-computer interface (BCI) technology.

Using intelligent sensing systems, the robot achieves micron-level three-dimensional precision during surgery, capable of implanting multiple filament-like electrodes—each just 10 microns thick and 100 microns wide—while carefully avoiding blood vessels, Yu said.

Once implanted, the electrodes relay neural signals to microchips for processing and communication. The system can either decode brain signals to control external devices or stimulate specific neurons using microcurrents to influence neural circuits.

The robot has already supported the implantation of various types of flexible electrodes.