Elon Musk’s Neuralink has successfully implanted a wireless brain chip, Telepathy, in a human, marking a breakthrough in neurotechnology.
Elon Musk has reported that the patient who underwent the Neuralink procedure is exhibiting encouraging signs of neuron spikes or nerve impulses and is reportedly recovering well. This significant accomplishment was made possible after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Neuralink’s human clinical trials in May last year.
Musk believes Neuralink can connect human brains directly to computers, providing solutions for conditions such as obesity, autism, depression, and schizophrenia, while also enabling web browsing and telepathy.
Initially, Neuralink will focus on restoring vision and enabling movement for those who can’t. This aligns with Musk’s previous statements about the device’s potential.
Neuralink and Synchron, two neurotechnology companies, have both successfully implanted brain chips in patients after receiving clearance for human trials in 2021.
However, Neuralink has not been without controversy. In 2022, the company faced criticism from animal rights groups for allegedly conducting invasive and deadly brain experiments on test monkeys. Despite this, Neuralink revealed footage last year of a monkey playing video games using its mind, showcasing the potential of their technology.
On its website, Neuralink states its mission is to create a generalised brain interface to restore autonomy to individuals with unmet medical needs and unlock human potential. Currently, their focus is on giving people with quadriplegia the ability to control their computers and mobile devices using their thoughts.
As Neuralink continues to push the boundaries of neurotechnology, the world watches with anticipation to see how their innovations will shape the future of human-computer interaction and medical treatment.
