China launches world’s first MRI-based system to read and modulate the brain

China has unveiled what researchers describe as the world’s first full-stack magnetic resonance imaging-based brain-computer interface solution, combining brain-signal acquisition, decoding, modulation and evaluation within a single technical system. Called uMR Shenguan, the platform was jointly released by Shanghai United Imaging Healthcare and Tianjin University. The team said the system is intended to support BCI research, development and clinical applications as the technology moves beyond laboratories and into medical settings. Unlike systems that merely connect an MRI scanner to a separate BCI device, uMR Shenguan creates a closed loop in which brain signals can be decoded, the brain can be modulated, and the effects can be measured within the same framework. MRI becomes a feedback hub The platform can capture neural activity signals at the millisecond level while measuring brain structures with sub-millimeter precision, according to the researchers. This combination is designed to provide both the temporal resolution needed to track rapidly changing signals and the spatial resolution required to identify where activity occurs. The system can also compensate for complex magnetic-field distortions that can affect image quality when BCI devices are implanted. Its magnetically compatible BCI toolbox is intended to reduce the mutual interference that can occur between interface hardware and MRI equipment. By connecting imaging with neuromodulation, the solution allows MRI to participate throughout the BCI process. The scanner consequently serves not only as an imaging and diagnostic device but also as the primary perception and feedback hub within the closed loop. “The solution enables synchronized coordination of observation and intervention in brain research, advancing brain-computer interfaces from ‘decoding signals’ toward ‘understanding the brain’ while opening up a new tech pathway for brain science research,” Ming Dong, director of the Haihe Laboratory of Brain-Computer Interaction and Human-Machine Integration, as reported by the Global Times. System measures effects of intervention The complete technical platform covers high-spatiotemporal-resolution MRI, hardware adaptation and optimization, a magnetically compatible BCI toolbox and an MRI-guided neuromodulation method. Together, these elements are intended to make neural plasticity measurable and controllable. Researchers could use the system to observe the brain, perform a targeted intervention and then evaluate its effects using the same platform. Ming said analyzing brain structure and function at high spatial and temporal resolution is an important foundation for developing higher-performance brain-computer interfaces. Progress in ultra-high-field MRI, rapid imaging sequences, real-time signal processing and artificial intelligence-based decoding has accelerated the integration of MRI with BCI technology, according to industry insiders cited by the Global Times. These advances are helping move the concept towards practical engineering and clinical use. China targets medical and consumer uses The release comes as brain-computer interfaces make the transition from experimental research to clinical and industrial applications. Ming said the BCI industry is likely to experience rapid development in 2026. Chinese medical applications are already emerging in motor rehabilitation, neuro-critical care, psychiatry, ophthalmology and audiology, he added. Such systems could help researchers understand neurological conditions, guide interventions and measure how patients respond. As the technology matures, BCI applications could also expand into education, sports, gaming, sleep improvement and industrial safety, according to Ming. Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.Atharva is a full-time content writer with a post-graduate degree in media & amp; entertainment and a graduate degree in electronics & telecommunications. He has written in the sports and technology domains respectively. In his leisure time, Atharva loves learning about digital marketing and watching soccer matches. His main goal behind joining Interesting Engineering is to learn more about how the recent technological advancements are helping human beings on both societal and individual levels in their daily lives.