Aug 27, 2026 · 1h 12m
Athlete brain data enters China’s technology and security race
Uncovering China's Secret War for Athlete Brainwaves (PTFO Vault)
The investigation raises urgent questions about whether sensitive neural data collected through sports and schools can remain private when technology companies have opaque state ties.
- 1BrainCo’s FocusCalm headbands connect athlete and classroom data collection to Chinese state-linked financing and robotics partnerships.
- 2The reporting finds uncertainty around BrainCo’s scientific claims, founder credentials, privacy practices, and access to collected neural data.
- 3Experts warn that even imperfect brain data could support artificial intelligence, military research, or cognitive-warfare applications.
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Logan Ryan learns that the FocusCalm device may collect brain data every half-second and says athletes must examine whom they trust with performance technology.
The brief
Pablo Torre and Sammy Koppelman begin with humanoid robots and the U.S.-China brain-computer race, then follow an ordinary-looking FocusCalm headband into that larger contest.
The investigation traces BrainCo’s shift toward China, state-linked financing, classroom contracts, and a partnership with Unitree that could connect neural sensing to robotics.
Athletes including Logan Ryan and Jannik Sinner enter the story through performance training, but the reporting asks who can access their neural data and how often it is collected.
BrainCo’s founder credentials and scientific claims come under scrutiny, while experts argue that data need not perfectly decode thought to remain valuable to an authoritarian government.
The standout exchange comes when Logan Ryan learns what the device may collect and says athletes must investigate who they trust with performance technology.
Nita Farahany frames the stakes beyond sports: neural data could feed artificial intelligence, military research, or cognitive warfare even when the underlying signals are imperfect.
Sammy Koppelman
Riccardo Ceccarelli
BrainCo
Government of China
Jannik SinnerListen to the full episode and explore every guest, topic, and moment on PodLume.