Tech magnate Elon Musk recently shared a significant development from his company, Neuralink, revealing the successful implantation of their wireless brain chip in a human for the first time.
Musk reported encouraging initial results, citing promising neuron spikes and nerve impulses, and reassured that the patient is recovering well.
Neuralink’s overarching objective is to establish a connection between human brains and computers, aiming to address complex neurological conditions.
The first human received an implant from @Neuralink yesterday and is recovering well.
Initial results show promising neuron spike detection.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 29, 2024
The company had received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May to commence human testing—a pivotal milestone after facing earlier approval challenges.
During the ongoing six-year study, Neuralink employs a robot to delicately place 64 flexible threads, thinner than a human hair, onto a specific part of the brain responsible for “movement intention.”
These threads facilitate the operation of the experimental implant, which is powered by a wirelessly rechargeable battery.
The implant records and transmits brain signals wirelessly to an app, decoding the individual’s intended movements.
Elon Musk took to X, his social media platform, to announce that Neuralink’s inaugural product would be named “Telepathy.
The first @Neuralink product is called Telepathy
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 29, 2024
According to Musk, Telepathy will empower users to control their phones, computers, and almost any device through mere thought.
The initial beneficiaries of this technology will be individuals who have lost the use of their limbs, aiming to significantly improve their communication capabilities.
Musk envisioned a future where individuals with conditions like paralysis could communicate more efficiently than even accomplished typists or auctioneers.
He referenced the late British scientist Stephen Hawking, who had motor neurone disease, emphasizing the goal of achieving faster and more effective communication.
Enables control of your phone or computer, and through them almost any device, just by thinking.
Initial users will be those who have lost the use of their limbs.
Imagine if Stephen Hawking could communicate faster than a speed typist or auctioneer. That is the goal.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 30, 2024
While Musk’s involvement adds prominence to Neuralink, several competitors with decades-long experience are also in the race.
Blackrock Neurotech, based in Utah, implanted its first brain-computer interface in 2004.
Precision Neuroscience, founded by a co-founder of Neuralink, is pursuing a simpler implant procedure resembling a thin piece of tape on the brain’s surface.
Other existing devices have shown promising results.
Recent US scientific studies utilized implants to monitor brain activity during speech attempts, subsequently decoding the signals to aid communication.