At CES 2026, Gbrain's Phin Stim Signals a New Era for Implantable Brain Therapy

CES has a unique rhythm. Fast footsteps on carpeted aisles. Neon slogans. Screens flashing promises about the future being smarter, faster, louder. Covering startups on the floor means learning to filter aggressively, to keep moving even when something looks interesting, because there's always another booth waiting.

And then, sometimes, something interrupts that rhythm.

In the middle of the noise, I found myself in the corner of the Las Vegas Convention Center at a booth for Gbrain, a Korean neurotechnology startup specializing in advanced brain-computer interface medical solutions and implantable brain-stimulation devices. No spectacle. No buzzwords shouted from a screen. Just precise hardware, clinical diagrams and conversations that felt unusually grounded for a show known for hype and an oversaturation of AI-nonsense. 

It wasn't trying to be the future of everything. It was trying to fix something specific, and that's what made it stand out.

For more, continue following our live coverage from Las Vegas as CES 2026 continues. 

How the Phin Stim works on the human brain 

Phin Stim is designed to help treat neurological conditions by gently stimulating the brain with precise electrical signals.

The brain communicates through tiny electrical impulses. When those signals become irregular -- as they can in conditions like epilepsy or Parkinson's disease -- the results can be severe. Phin Stim works by monitoring brain activity and delivering targeted stimulation to help guide those signals back into healthier patterns.

Think of it less like controlling the brain and more like correcting interference on a signal line.

One of the key innovations is Gbrain's ultrathin, flexible electrodes, which sit on the surface of the brain rather than pressing into it like other brain implants. Because they're soft and adaptable, they conform to the brain's natural shape, improving signal quality while reducing irritation. It's the difference between wearing a rigid helmet and something that actually moves with you.

The long-term goal is a fully implantable system: something that can work continuously inside the body, monitoring brain activity and responding when intervention is needed, without bulky external hardware.

The future of Gbrain's work and innovation

I spoke with Euiyoung Kim, a manager at Gbrain, who holds degrees in neuroscience, about the future of Phin Stim and Gbrain's innovations. 

Gbrain is showcasing two versions of its flagship system, Phin Stim, at CES. The first, which is undergoing clinical trials, and the second, a prototype, are currently under review by a regulatory body in Korea, according to Kim. The earlier model was a CES 2025 Innovation Awards Honoree, while the updated version earned the same recognition for CES 2026. The newer Phin Stim is smaller, cleaner and more integrated -- less like a prototype and more like a medical device inching toward real-world use.

Gbrain is showcasing two versions of its flagship system Phin Stim at CES 2026.

Macy Meyer/CNET

"[The goal of the devices] is more towards minimizing the symptoms," Kim said. "It would be great if we could further get it to research where we discover the actual core causes of these diseases, but they currently focus more on making people's lives less hard, bringing everyday life back to patients."

What struck me most was how little Gbrain leaned into sci-fi narratives or overpromises. There were no grand claims about mind reading, enhancement or futuristic spectacle. This was neuroscience presented as medicine, not mythology. The focus was squarely on patients whose conditions don't respond well to medication alone and on giving clinicians more precise tools to help them. That restraint felt rare and refreshing on a show floor where ambition can outpace responsibility.

Rather than chasing attention, Gbrain seems focused on the unglamorous fundamentals: manufacturing standards, clinical validation, regulatory pathways and the intense work required to turn technology into treatment.

After hours of walking the CES floor, Gbrain was one of the booths I kept thinking about. In an industry obsessed with speed, Gbrain is moving at the pace medicine demands. And in a space crowded with promises about what technology might do someday, this was a reminder that some of the most meaningful innovation is focused on what technology can do now -- for people who actually need it.

Experts from CNET, PCMag, Mashable, ZDNET and Lifehacker debated for more than six hours to determine the absolute best new products from the CES 2026 show floor. See all of our winners and finalists here.