China unveils mind-reading machine that decodes thoughts in real-time

China’s recent advancement in tech is making Black Mirror look like a bedtime story. NeuroAccess, a Chinese startup, has rolled out a brain-computer interface (BCI) that literally reads your thoughts and turns them into words.

In simpler words, a machine that can decode your inner monologue in real time. Now, if you're thinking about how much you want to nap instead of work, your boss might know before you do because in 2025, your thoughts come with subtitles.

According to the report by Xinhua, on January 3, 2025, NeuroAccess announced that they successfully tested their mind-reading gizmo. This device took a peek into the brain of a patient with a brain injury and translated their thoughts into actual Chinese speech, all without missing a beat.

How does this mind-reading thing work?

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This BCI system uses a 256-channel setup that captures electrocorticogram (ECoG) signals from the brain. Once those signals are captured, the system decodes them into commands.

So, if you think, "open Spotify," your favorite playlist pops up—no fingers required.

The system’s performance is no joke either. During clinical trials, it decoded thoughts with a latency of less than 60 milliseconds and hit a speech decoding accuracy of 71% within just five days of implantation.

If you still don’t understand what that means, in pop terms that’s quicker than your chronically online bestie replying to a text.

Clinical trials of NeuroAccess

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NeuroAccess is making real moves in the medical field. The trials have included patients with conditions like epilepsy, where one patient—post brain lesion surgery—had their movements and speech decoded with mind-blowing success.

With this next-level interface, NeuroXess tapped into high-gamma brain signals. After a quick training session, patients were already out here playing table tennis and Snake on a computer within 48 hours. Two weeks later, they were scrolling through WeChat and Taobao like it was no big deal.

For people with speech impairments, it’s life-changing.

A global race to decode thoughts

Neuralink - Photo Illustration - Source: Getty

China isn’t the only player in this game of mental Monopoly. Across the globe, Caltech researchers are cooking up a similar device that’s pulling off thought-to-text magic with 79% accuracy.

And let’s not forget Neuralink, Elon Musk’s brainchild, which is also diving headfirst into BCI tech.

Tao Hu, chief scientist at NeuroXess, threw some shade at Neuralink’s approach, saying:

“Neuralink’s strategy requires implantation into the cerebral cortex, which can cause damage to brain tissue. Our approach involves the cerebral cortex, which can effectively avoid potential damage to brain tissue.”

If the thought of brain surgery makes you want to "Nope, I'm out", don’t worry—there’s a rise in non-invasive BCI research too. Systems using electroencephalography (EEG) are getting their time in the spotlight, mainly because they’re less risky and way easier to use.

Dystopian much?

Now, let’s address the dystopian elephant in the room. A machine that can read your thoughts? Imagine your boss knowing you’re mentally drafting your resignation letter during that Zoom meeting. Or worse, your crush finding out you’ve replayed that one awkward conversation a million times.

On the internet, while some techie people are praising it, some users think that it has a totalitarian surveillance state written all over it.

An X user wrote: “Scientists just cracked the neural code for cross-subject mind reading with 79.04% accuracy using robot overlords as visual stimuli. Your thoughts are no longer your own - they're just covariance matrices waiting to be decoded. The cyberpunk dystopia isn't coming; it's being peer-reviewed.”

With hashtag dystopia, another user went on to say:

“Brain-computer interface developed in China decodes thought real-time. What could go wrong? Finally the dream comes true to have quality management for a brainwash.”