Neuralink Corp., a start-up owned by Elon Musk, has successfully placed a brain implant in a human patient, a major step that opens the possibility of controlling computers with the mind.
Elon Musk announced that a patient received a brain implant from Neuralink and is recovering well. Initial results are promising.
Neuralink received FDA approval for human trials some time ago and is recruiting patients with quadriplegia or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Its first product, Telepathy, allows users to control devices with their thoughts.
Neuralink’s technology enables detected neuron spikes, a crucial step in brain-computer interfaces. Animal experiments showed that monkeys could play computer games using only their brains.
Last November, it became known that thousands of people are showing interest in becoming carriers of Neuralink’s brain implants.
Now a first volunteer has been found willing to have a piece of his skull removed so that a computer can be inserted. This should enable an advanced robot to implant numerous electrodes and ultra-thin wires into the brain. After this procedure, they replace the removed part of the skull with a tiny computer. No bigger than a 25-cent coin and intended to function for an extended period of time. This computer will continuously record the person’s brain activity. The recorded data will be sent wirelessly to a nearby computer.
Neuralink’s technology goes deeper into the brain than many other systems and promises more sophisticated interaction.
The ultimate goal of the trial, according to Bloomberg journalist Ashlee Vance, is to prove that the device can reliably provide valuable information about brain function, which is a crucial step in Neuralink’s ambition to convert thought processes into computer language.
Musk said the company also aims to treat conditions such as obesity, autism, depression and schizophrenia in this way. Despite the progress, a commercial brain implant is still years away from release.
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