Latest news with #medicaltechnology
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
China is catching up to the US in brain tech, rivaling firms like Elon Musk's Neuralink
'I want to eat' popped up in Chinese characters on a computer at a public hospital in central Beijing. The words were formed from the thoughts of a 67-year-old woman with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, who is unable to speak. The demonstration, captured on video in March by Beijing Radio and Television Station, was part of a clinical trial involving five patients implanted with a coin-sized chip called Beinao-1, a wireless so-called brain computer interface (BCI) – a technology led by scientists in the US, but in which experts say China is quickly catching up. Luo Minmin, director of the Chinese Institute for Brain Research (CIBR) and the chief scientist behind the trial, said there was a 'very strong' need for BCI technology, saying they had been 'overwhelmed' by requests from potential patients. 'The patients were saying that this feels so great, like they can gain or regain the control of (their) muscles,' he told CNN in May during a rare interview at his lab, located an hour's drive away from Beijing Xuanwu Hospital, where the trial took place. Luo said the technology was showing 'high accuracy' in decoding signals from the brains of patients and translating the signals into text speech or machine movements. His team is planning to speed up human trials by implanting chips into 50 to 100 more patients over the next year. 'We are hoping that we can move this process faster,' he said. 'If it's proven to be safe and effective … it can be used clinically across the world.' As of May, Beinao-1 says a total of five patients, the same number as Elon Musk's Neuralink, has its implants. Another US company Synchron, whose investors include Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, has undergone trials with 10 patients, six in the United States and four in Australia. Maximilian Riesenhuber, a professor of neuroscience at Georgetown University who was not involved in the Beinao trials, told CNN that despite starting later than the US, China is making advances. 'China has definitely shown the ability to not just catch up, but also then be competitive, and now actually to start, also to drive the field in some areas,' he said. 'Excitingly, there's a lot of research activities in both countries, because they've realized the potential in BCI.' According to Precedence Research, a market research firm, the market for brain technology was worth about $2.6 billion last year and is expected to rise to $12.4 billion by 2034. But for both China and the US, this technology is about much more than cash. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has long aimed to turn his country into a science and economic powerhouse. In March, he wrote in state-owned media that the tech industry had become the 'forefront' and 'main battlefield' of global competition. His ambitions have sparked concern in the US, resulting in an ongoing tech war, particularly in the semiconductor industry. A different approach CIBR was jointly founded by the Beijing municipal government and several local universities in 2018, about two years after Elon Musk founded Neuralink near San Francisco. In 2023, CIBR incubated a private company named NeuCyber NeuroTech to focus on brain tech products such as Beinao-1. Luo, who is also the startup's chief scientist, gave CNN rare access to the institute in May. For years, he said, the ALS patient, who is in her 60s, was unable to express herself. 'She's awake, she knows what she wants but she could not speak out,' said the scientist, who got his PhD in neuroscience from the University of Pennsylvania and spent nearly a decade in the US. 'Following the implantation, she can now speak simple sentences quite accurately via the system.' All BCI researchers must address the balance between risk and effectiveness. Riensenhuber said most American firms use the more invasive method to place chips inside the dura mater, an outer layer of tissue that covers and protects the brain and spinal cord, in order to capture better signal. But these methods require riskier surgeries. 'It is interesting to see that NeuCyber is apparently able to get enough information even through the dura to allow the decoding of specific words,' he said. The test on the ALS patient, which began in March, marked the Beinao-1 chip's third trial in humans. Those trials made up what the developers described in a press release as 'the world's first batch of semi-invasive implantation of wireless BCI in human brains.' As of May, two more trials have been conducted, for a total of five. Clear ambition Amid rising geopolitical tensions, comparisons between US and Chinese tech breakthroughs are common. Brain computer interface technology first started in the 1970s in the US. Decades later, the Obama Administration launched its 'Brain Initiative' in 2013, investing more than $3 billion to fund over a thousand neuroscience technology projects since, according to the National Institute of Health. Synchron, based in New York, was the first firm to start human trials in July 2021. Three years later, a new BCI system developed at UC Davis Health translated the brain signals of an ALS patient into speech, achieving an accuracy of 97% – the most accurate system of its kind, the university said in a statement. The same year, Musk's company completed its first human trial, enabling the participant to control a computer mouse with a brain implant. China got its start in brain tech only in the 1990s, but it's advancing fast. In 2014, Chinese scientists introduced the idea of a national project on brain tech to match similar efforts in the US and Europe, according to the Ministry of Science and Technology. Two years later, brain tech was mentioned in the country's five-year plan, which outlines China's national priorities and goals. 'Brain science is new in China,' said Lily Lin, a former research assistant at one of China's top neuroscience research units from 2021 to 2023. 'So, it started a bit late, but its speed of development has been faster than other countries. And the country has given a lot of funding to many scientific research units, and this funding is increasing every year.' Last year, the government issued its first ethical guidelines for research in this area. At the local level, municipal governments in Beijing, Shanghai and other major cities have also offered support for brain technology companies from research and clinical trials to commercialization. Riesenhuber and other researchers from Georgetown University published research on China's BCI development in 2024, stating that efforts from Chinese researchers were 'comparable in sophistication' to those in the US and the United Kingdom. 'We found China's non-invasive BCI research to be comparable with that of other scientifically advanced nations and to be working to overcome obstacles to greater fidelity, throughput, and wider use,' according to the issue brief. 'China's invasive BCI research, while historically behind its non-invasive efforts, has picked up the pace and is approaching global standards of sophistication.' Luo, who has worked in both countries, says the US is the 'front-runner' in both invasive and non-invasive brain tech. But, comparing Beinao-1 and Neuralink is like looking at 'apples and oranges,' he added. The two systems differ not only in implant location but also in the type of brain signals recorded, as well as the method of data transmission. The Chinese chip records a wider range of brain areas, with lower precision for each neuron. 'All in all, I don't think these two products are in a competitive or exclusive relationship,' Luo added. 'The jury is still out, and we don't know yet which route will ultimately benefit patients better.' CNN's Joyce Jiang contributed to this report.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
What To Expect From Integer Holdings's (ITGR) Q2 Earnings
Medical technology company Integer Holdings (NYSE:ITGR) will be announcing earnings results this Thursday morning. Here's what you need to know. Integer Holdings beat analysts' revenue expectations by 2% last quarter, reporting revenues of $437.4 million, up 7.3% year on year. It was a strong quarter for the company, with a solid beat of analysts' full-year EPS guidance estimates and a solid beat of analysts' organic revenue estimates. Is Integer Holdings a buy or sell going into earnings? Read our full analysis here, it's free. This quarter, analysts are expecting Integer Holdings's revenue to grow 8.5% year on year to $464.4 million, slowing from the 9.8% increase it recorded in the same quarter last year. Adjusted earnings are expected to come in at $1.55 per share. The majority of analysts covering the company have reconfirmed their estimates over the last 30 days, suggesting they anticipate the business to stay the course heading into earnings. Integer Holdings has missed Wall Street's revenue estimates four times over the last two years. Looking at Integer Holdings's peers in the healthcare equipment and supplies segment, some have already reported their Q2 results, giving us a hint as to what we can expect. Intuitive Surgical delivered year-on-year revenue growth of 21.4%, beating analysts' expectations by 3.7%, and Abbott Laboratories reported revenues up 7.4%, topping estimates by 0.9%. Abbott Laboratories traded down 6.1% following the results. Read our full analysis of Intuitive Surgical's results here and Abbott Laboratories's results here. Investors in the healthcare equipment and supplies segment have had steady hands going into earnings, with share prices flat over the last month. Integer Holdings is down 4% during the same time and is heading into earnings with an average analyst price target of $148.75 (compared to the current share price of $114.32). Here at StockStory, we certainly understand the potential of thematic investing. Diverse winners from Microsoft (MSFT) to Alphabet (GOOG), Coca-Cola (KO) to Monster Beverage (MNST) could all have been identified as promising growth stories with a megatrend driving the growth. So, in that spirit, we've identified a relatively under-the-radar profitable growth stock benefiting from the rise of AI, available to you FREE via this link. StockStory is growing and hiring equity analyst and marketing roles. Are you a 0 to 1 builder passionate about the markets and AI? See the open roles here. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Bloomberg
10 hours ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
AI Spine Surgery Firm Carlsmed Raises $100.5 Million in IPO
Carlsmed Inc. raised $100.5 million in its US initial public offering, pricing shares in the medical technology company within a marketed range. The firm, which uses AI to personalize spine surgery, sold 6.7 million shares at $15 apiece, according to terms of the deal seen by Bloomberg News. The company had offered shares for $14 to $16 each, according to an earlier US Securities and Exchange Commission filing.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Zynex Sets Second Quarter 2025 Earnings Call
ENGLEWOOD, Colo., July 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Zynex, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZYXI), an innovative medical technology company specializing in the manufacture and sale of non-invasive medical devices for pain management, rehabilitation, and patient monitoring, will hold a conference call on Thursday, July 31, 2025 at 4:15 PM Eastern Time to discuss its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2025. Financial results will be issued in a press release prior to the call. Zynex management will host the conference call, followed by a question and answer session. Date: Thursday, July 31, 2025Time: 4:15 PM Eastern Time (2:15 PM Mountain Time)U.S. & Canada dial-in number: 800-836-8184International number: 646-357-8785Webcast: Q2-2025 Webcast Link The Company will also provide a link at for those who wish to stream the call via webcast. Please call the conference telephone number 5-10 minutes prior to the start time. About Zynex, Inc. Zynex, founded in 1996, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells medical devices used for pain management and rehabilitation as well as non-invasive fluid, sepsis, and laser-based pulse oximetry monitoring systems for use in hospitals. For additional information, please visit: Investor Relations Contact:Dan Moorhead, CFOir@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Zynex, Inc. Sign in to access your portfolio
Fox News
a day ago
- Health
- Fox News
Humanoid robot performs medical procedures via remote control
Healthcare systems worldwide are struggling with overcrowded hospitals, physician burnout, and rising surgery delays. Which is why it's always a good thing to see research exploring new solutions through technology. The University of California San Diego (UCSD) is looking into humanoid robots as a potential solution. It suggests they might play a vital role in easing medical burdens. Unlike traditional surgical robots that are expensive and highly specialized, humanoid robots offer more flexibility. And this makes them promising candidates for a wide range of clinical tasks. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide - free when you join my UCSD equipped a Unitree G1 humanoid robot with Inspire Gen4 robotic hands and developed a bimanual teleoperation system for it as well. Both allow it to perform seven varied medical procedures using a remote control operated by a human using foot pedals, HTC Vive trackers, and motion-capture cameras. These tasks the robot carried out ranged from physical exams like auscultation and palpation, to emergency procedures such as Bag Valve Mask ventilation and endotracheal intubation. Some of them even required a great deal of precision, like ultrasound-guided injections. There were some challenges with force control and sensor sensitivity, but the robot managed to carry out most tasks given to it with accuracy. For examinations, it successfully used a stethoscope and performed basic physical examinations. In these tests, performance was hindered by limitations in sensor feedback and hand design. For emergency care, it achieved consistent ventilation. However, it required human assistance to maintain the necessary seal and force required for intubation. When it came to needle procedures, it performed ultrasound-guided injections. It achieved a 70% success rate when performed by non-clinicians, demonstrating its potential for training purposes. Trials showed issues with needle control and orientation during suturing, indicating that the haptic feedback mechanisms need improvement. This is the first major study to add humanoid robots to hospital work systems. With aging populations and ongoing labor shortages, these adaptable robots could support routine and emergency tasks in hospital settings. This robot could take immense pressure off medical staff. The versatility and ability to be remotely controlled make it particularly appealing for settings that require rapid response and tools that can carry out a wide range of tasks. If you've ever waited too long in an ER, struggled to book a specialist appointment, or worried about overworked healthcare providers, this research should catch your attention. Humanoid robots like the Unitree G1 aren't replacing doctors, but they could support them in real, practical ways. From performing emergency procedures in remote areas to helping with routine physical exams in crowded hospitals, these robots could ease bottlenecks and improve care access. For patients, that could mean shorter wait times, faster treatment, and safer hospital environments where medical teams are less stretched. For families in rural or underserved areas, this technology could offer critical care support where medical staff is limited. And for healthcare workers, it could bring much-needed relief by taking on repetitive or physically taxing tasks. While the tech is still evolving, these early results suggest a future where hospitals have robotic teammates, not just tools, helping deliver faster, smarter care. While humanoid robots like the Unitree G1 are not ready to fully replace humans, they're steadily proving how capable they are in medical environments. The researchers just need to solve issues like force control, sensitivity, and dexterity. Once they do, we will see these robots in operating rooms around the world assisting with surgeries. They will make our struggling healthcare systems far more resilient and accessible. Would you let a humanoid robot handle your healthcare needs? Let us know by writing us at Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide - free when you join my Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
