Major Release! Brain-Computer Interface Breakthrough in Pain Management, Industry-Academia-Research-Medicine Collaboration Ushers in a "Pain-Free" New Era

On August 29, 2025, a press conference held by the Institute of Translational Medicine at Shanghai Jiao Tong University brought brain-computer interface technology to the forefront of transformative advancements in pain medicine. The official release of the "White Paper on the Application of Brain-Computer Interface in Pain Disorders" not only provided strong momentum for promoting the widespread use of this technology in the field of pain treatment but also holds promise to bring new hope and tangible benefits to patients suffering from chronic pain, paving the way for pain medicine to enter a brand-new era of development.

This press conference has attracted high attention from numerous professionals and media in the fields of healthcare, scientific research, and enterprises.Zhang Xianming, Secretary of the Institute of Translational Medicine at Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Fan Bifa, Chairman of the Pain Society of the Chinese Medical Association; Ma Ke, Chairman of the Pain Specialty Committee of the Shanghai Medical Association, and other relevant expertsAttended the meeting.Three experts unanimously believe that brain-computer interface technology has pioneered a new model of precision medicine for pain management based on objective neural signals, personalization, and closed-loop regulation.

For a long time, the assessment of pain has overly relied on patients' subjective descriptions and self-reports, lacking objective biological indicators. However, accurate measurement of pain is an important prerequisite for effective pain management and research.

Therefore, researchers and clinicians have been seeking an objective method for measuring pain, hoping to achieve breakthrough progress in areas such as pain diagnosis, treatment, prognostic evaluation, and the development of related drugs, thereby providing a more scientific and precise basis for pain management.

Fan Bifa, Chairman of the Chinese Pain Society, pointed out, "The deepest part of pain science is brain science. Pain is not only an unpleasant subjective sensation but also closely related to brain function, involving multi-dimensional experiences such as emotion and feeling. As a modern technological means, brain-computer interface can 'read' brain biological signals, helping us deeply analyze changes in brain function, diagnose pain states, and explore the essential mechanisms of pain formation, thereby providing new ways to develop more precise and effective pain treatment methods."

There is no doubt that the emergence of brain-computer interface technology provides an innovative technical means based on physiological signals for pain management, which is expected to fill this gap by identifying brain activity patterns associated with pain, offering objective and quantifiable biomarkers for pain.

To further clarify the application and development of brain-computer interface (BCI) in the field of pain medicine, Ma Ke, Chairman of the Pain Specialty Branch of the Shanghai Medical Association, delivered a presentation titled "The Application of Brain-Computer Interface in Pain Disorders" to the attendees. He pointed out that pain has become a major global public health challenge, and we should take "ushering in a new era of pain-free living" as our mission. He also emphasized that current BCI technology has already achieved initial results in this discipline, and its future advancements will further promote the development of the specialty, benefit the public, and contribute to "ushering in a new era of pain-free living."

From a mechanistic perspective, many diseases ultimately are closely related to changes in brain central function. The essence of pain is the interaction between the brain center and emotions. Based on this, despite numerous chronic pain patients trying various treatment methods, including painkillers and even orthopedic surgery, their pain issues remain fundamentally unresolved.

In the interview, Professor Ma Ke pointed out, "Changes in central brain function play a key role in the mechanisms of pain, while invasive methods such as craniotomy can cause secondary harm to patients. Therefore, we are committed to exploring safer and more effective non-invasive approaches. By utilizing advanced technologies like high-density electroencephalography (EEG), we are conducting in-depth research on the excitability of the central nervous system to uncover the neural mechanisms of pain. At the same time, we leverage non-invasive VR and mixed reality (MR) technologies, along with relaxation training and cognitive-behavioral interventions, to help patients adjust their perception of pain and reshape brain functions, thereby achieving more effective pain management."

Based on the fundamental framework and theory of neuroscience, the pain brain-computer interface treatment solution developed by Professor Ma Ke and his team has been clinically verified in thousands of patients with remarkable results. This breakthrough not only brings new hope to patients but also strengthens the team's confidence to continue exploring and advancing along the innovative path of "pain medicine + brain-computer interface."

More importantly, with the release of the "White Paper on the Application of Brain-Computer Interfaces in Pain Disorders" as a starting point, Professor Ma Ke is full of anticipation for the future. He hopes that with the continuous deepening of research into brain central mechanisms and the ongoing optimization of clinical efficacy, brain-computer interface therapy can evolve into an "electronic pill" that requires no medication, has no addictive properties, and causes no harm to liver or kidney functions, ultimately replacing traditional drugs to provide a safer and more fundamental solution for pain management.

Professor Fan Bifa also pointed out that the development of brain-computer interface technology will have a profound impact on the medical field. He emphasized: "From the essence of the birth of medicine, medicine was born with humanity's expression of pain and the desire to alleviate suffering. Through brain-computer interfaces, we can gain a deeper understanding of the functions and structures of the brain, thereby providing more precise treatment options for various brain diseases. In addition, due to the great heterogeneity of human pain, brain-computer interfaces can also be used for quantitative diagnosis, helping doctors to more accurately understand the patient's condition, thus formulating more personalized treatment plans."

At this meeting, as a representative of the company,Ruikoo Medical General Manager Qin Chunhui Shared "The Application of Visual-Tactile Interaction Mechanism in Non-Invasive Brain-Computer Interfaces"He pointed out that significant achievements have been made in visuotactile interaction technology: providing visual stimuli to patients through VR technology and leveraging the brain's prior model mechanism to induce corresponding tactile and sensory feedback. This technology has been successfully applied clinically to improve symptoms in patients with cervical spondylosis, reduce phantom limb pain scores, and decrease the incidence of ICU delirium in elderly patients undergoing hip replacement. Moreover, when combined with brain-computer interfaces, visual stimuli can trigger specific EEG changes, with experimental data already proving its effectiveness.

On the importance of combining medicine and engineering, Qin Chunhui said in an interview: "The rapid development of artificial intelligence has brought new development opportunities to the pain department. The advancement of brain-computer interface technology in the field of pain requires the joint efforts of scientists, clinical experts, and enterprises. With the support of the integrated development of industry, academia, research, and medicine, the discipline of pain management is expected to rise within the next 5 to 10 years by leveraging new technologies such as artificial intelligence and brain-computer interfaces, sharing in the fruitful outcomes brought by technological advancements alongside some well-established departments."

Currently, Qin Chunhui's team has received multi-million-level project support from the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission and is committed to building a non-invasive brain-computer interface closed-loop system, further promoting the practical application of this technology in pain management and rehabilitation treatment. In the future, the team will also participate more deeply in the formulation of industry white papers and related standards, accelerating the transformation of cutting-edge research results in the field of pain through brain-computer interfaces, helping doctors and patients solve more clinical challenges.

Subsequently,Yue Zhang from the Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, presented "Pain Brain-Computer Interface and Artificial Intelligence", mainly elaborates on several core tasks of brain-computer interface for pain and artificial intelligence, including the construction of clinical patent database, promoting multi-center clinical research, integrating AI with medicine, as well as building an intelligent data information system covering multiple regional centers nationwide, an AI analysis platform, and a standardized clinical trial analysis platform.

Professor Zhang Yue emphasized that artificial intelligence represents a new generation of scientific research and working paradigms, capable of breaking traditional research and diagnosis-treatment models, offering new and effective treatment options for patients with pain. He stated: "Based on artificial intelligence and brain-computer interface technology, we can use wearable devices to conveniently and accurately assess the location and severity of pain, much like how smartphones measure heart rate. This allows patients to independently monitor their pain condition and receive personalized treatment recommendations without frequent hospital visits, thereby reducing reliance on medication and achieving personalized and precise pain management."

Currently, Professor Zhang Yue's team has achieved this goal at the research level and has initiated the application process for Class III medical device certification. He stated, "We have always believed that the field of pain management is an ideal scenario for the integration and application of cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and brain-computer interfaces. In the future, these technologies will provide patients with comprehensive, customized services covering diagnosis, treatment, and long-term tracking, bringing proactive healthcare to countless households."

Following the press conference on the application of brain-computer interface technology in pain disorders, more than 20 experts and entrepreneurs conducted thematic presentations and discussions on "The Application of Brain-Computer Interface in Pain Disorders," delving into the key pathways, translational challenges, and implementation strategies for advancing this technology from foundational research to clinical application.

After the meeting, the attendees unanimously praised the developmental advantages of this technology in chronic pain. It not only reviewed the translational cases of brain-computer interfaces in pain diagnosis and treatment, neurorehabilitation, and other fields but also clarified the key points of policy alignment, ethical norms, and industrial collaboration in technological transformation.

Pain measurement has always been a challenging issue in clinical practice. Nowadays, with the joint efforts of industry, academia, research, and medicine, innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence and brain-computer interfaces are bringing new possibilities to this field.

The official release of the "White Paper on the Application of Brain-Computer Interfaces in Pain Disorders" not only summarizes the promising prospects and research achievements of brain science in the field of pain medicine in recent years, providing significant guidance for future research and clinical applications, but also highlights the crucial role of brain-computer interfaces in pain treatment and the important position of pain medicine within brain science.

With the continuous development and improvement of brain-computer interface technology, its application prospects in the field of pain treatment are becoming increasingly broad. At the same time, through the integration and application with cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data, brain-computer interface technology will also promote the paradigm innovation and transformation upgrading of the pain discipline, truly achieving the precision and scientific nature of pain diagnosis and treatment.

At the end of the press conference, the organizer stated that they will continue to promote the research and application expansion of brain-computer interface technology, join hands with all parties to accelerate the transformation of scientific research results into clinical practice, allowing this cutting-edge technology to benefit patients more quickly and effectively.