Rebirth: Starting from Lighting Up the Tech Tree

Chapter 203 Commercialization

The product launch is scheduled for fiftieth day after approval.

This timing wasn't chosen randomly. In fifty days, Han Lu and her team accomplished three things: mass production of the first batch of NX-30 chips and exoskeletons, twenty sets each; qualification review of seven hospitals, with five officially signing contracts; and Zhang Wei, as a recovery case, completed two rounds of public testing, with stable data and good results.

The press conference was to be held in the central hall of the Hangzhou International Convention and Exhibition Center, which could accommodate 800 people. Han Lu sent the invitation list to Zuo Cheng for confirmation: 200 seats for media, 200 seats for medical institution representatives, 150 seats for investors and industry guests, and the rest for government representatives and the public.

Zuo Cheng looked it over and asked, "Is Zhang Wei confirmed to be here?"

Han Lu said, "He said he would definitely come as long as his health allowed."

Zuo Cheng said, "That's fine then."

The night before the press conference, Zuo Cheng went through his speech alone in his office. He didn't like reading from a script, but the press conference setting required him to present the key figures accurately and clearly. He mentally reviewed the parameters: 1024 channels, 91.3% decoding accuracy, medical-grade 23.7 dB signal-to-noise ratio, and 100% clinical success rate.

Behind every number are countless late nights of work by Shen Yiming's team.

By 9:00 AM on the day of the press conference, the venue was already packed. The first three rows were occupied by media, with cameras and recorders in hand. The middle section featured representatives from medical institutions, alternating between those in white coats and suits. To the right were the investor seats, where several well-known organizations that Zuo Cheng knew were present.

At 10 o'clock sharp, the lights dimmed and the large screen lit up.

Zuo Cheng walked onto the stage without an assistant to guide him; he walked to the microphone and stood there. He was wearing a dark blue suit without a tie, and under the lights, he looked younger than usual.

He said, "Today we're launching a product. It's not a phone, not a car, and not a satellite. It's a neural interface system, and its users are those who are trapped by their bodies."

The screen displayed before-and-after images of Zhang Wei's surgery. On the left was a year and a half ago, Zhang Wei was lying in a hospital bed with a blank expression; on the right was last month, he was wearing an exoskeleton and walking hand in hand with his son in the corridor.

There was a moment of silence in the room, then someone applauded.

Zuo Cheng continued, "This system is called Interstellar Neural Network, and its core consists of two parts. The first part is the NX-30 neural interface chip, which collects signals from the motor cortex with 1024 channels and a decoding accuracy of 91.3%, reaching the highest level globally. The second part is the exoskeleton system, with a response latency of 80 milliseconds, weighing 12 kilograms, and covering the entire kinetic chain from the waist to the ankles."

He paused for a moment, then said, "The commercial price of this system is: 300,000 yuan for the neural interface chip implantation surgery and equipment; and 500,000 yuan for the exoskeleton system. Compared to similar international products, this is about one-third of the price."

A reporter in the first row raised his hand, but Zuo Cheng gestured for him to ask questions later and continue the press conference first.

He said, "Today's press conference is more than just a product launch. We want to talk about what this technology can do. Now, I'd like to invite a friend to the stage."

When Zhang Wei was wheeled up, some people in the hall recognized him and whispered among themselves. He was wearing an exoskeleton today. He stood up from his wheelchair and, accompanied by staff, walked to the center of the stage on his own.

His movements were still a bit slow, and the sound of the exoskeleton's motors could be heard in the quiet venue, but he took each step very steadily.

He walked to the microphone and said, "My name is Zhang Wei. I suffered a spinal cord injury two years ago. Three months ago, I controlled the fingers of a prosthetic hand with my mind for the first time. Five weeks ago, I stood up for the first time. Today, I walked from over there to here, about twenty steps."

He paused for a moment, then said, "These twenty steps took me two years to walk."

Applause erupted in the hall, and grew louder and louder.

Zuo Cheng stood on the side of the platform, looking at Zhang Wei, without saying a word.

After the press conference, a Q&A session followed. Reporters focused their questions on price, indications, and surgical risks. Zuo Cheng and Professor Zheng answered in turn, without avoiding any questions. The last reporter asked if it was possible to lower the price of this technology in the future, making it more affordable for more patients.

Zuo Cheng said, "This is our goal. As mass production scales up, equipment costs will continue to decrease. We hope that within two years, the price of exoskeletons can be reduced to below 200,000 yuan and gradually included in the medical insurance reimbursement scope."

After the press conference, Han Lu and her business team stayed behind to connect with organizations that expressed interest in cooperation.

Zuo Cheng and Yu Ying exited through the side door together. When they reached the parking lot, Han Lu sent a message saying, "Twenty-four hours after the press conference ended, the number of appointments for consultations has exceeded one thousand."

Zuo Cheng said, "Let's do a count: how many are the patients themselves, and how many are their family members?"

Han Lu said, "Most of them are family members; very few patients themselves come for consultation."

Zuo Cheng said, "That shows the demand is real. The patients can't come in person because they genuinely need this technology."

Yu Ying asked, "What's the next step?"

Zuo Cheng said, "First, we need to get the surgical procedures running smoothly at the five contracted hospitals. We should stabilize the situation for the first month and not rush into increasing volume. Reputation is more important than speed."

That evening, Han Lu sent another message, saying that the number of appointments had exceeded 1,300, and 27 hospitals had inquired about cooperation. She added, "Twelve investment institutions have also sent invitations to meet, three of which are from overseas."

Zuo Cheng said, "Investment can be arranged, but hospitals will be screened based on their qualifications first. Those that are not top-tier hospitals with neurosurgery qualifications will not be considered for now."

The following day at noon, Han Lu delivered the statistical report. Within 24 hours of the press conference, 1,083 valid appointment inquiries were received, of which 60% were family members of spinal cord injury patients, 30% were family members of patients with other motor neuron diseases, and 10% were from medical institutions and research units.

The number of medical institutions intending to sign agreements has increased from seven to twenty-three. Five of them have already sent formal cooperation letters, with the total intended value of surgeries and equipment exceeding 500 million yuan.

Looking at the number, Zuo Cheng said, "This 500 million is just the beginning. China has over four million spinal cord injury patients, and another 200,000 ALS patients. The number of newly diagnosed motor neuron disease patients will only increase every year."

Han Lu asked, "Can our production capacity keep up?"

Zuo Cheng said, "We can't keep up. Our current production capacity can only meet the needs of the first twenty patients. We must expand production." He has already asked Ma Hao to start planning a new exoskeleton production line, with a target of producing fifty sets per month by the end of the year.

Han Lu said, "Should we adjust the pricing strategy?"

Zuo Cheng said, "No price adjustment. Stabilize the price first, and then talk about price reductions when costs come down. We won't go down the path of price increases. In addition, we need to talk to major medical insurance institutions to try to include the brain-computer interface exoskeleton in the medical insurance catalog. If it can be reimbursed, the covered population will expand three to five times."

Han Lu noted in her memo, "This process will take a long time."

Zuo Cheng said, "Yes. But we need to start talking now."

He said, "Kongkong, how did you feel about today?"

Yu Ying said, "When Zhang Wei walked onto the stage, my eyes welled up with tears."

Zuo Cheng said, "Me too."

Yu Ying said, "Is this your first time giving a presentation on stage? Are you nervous?"

Zuo Cheng said, "There's nothing to be nervous about. Today isn't my stage, it's Zhang Wei's."

Yu Ying said, "He's great."

Zuo Cheng nodded and said, "Yes. Those twenty steps he took deserved all the applause."