Elon Musk’s Neuralink company has successfully implanted a brain chip into its first human patient.
It marks a significant shift in the development of neuroscience and technology.
Musk announced the milestone achievement last week (30 January), describing the initial outcomes as ‘promising’.
The device, named 'Telepathy,' represents Neuralink’s inaugural product.
It aims to empower individuals to control computer cursors or keyboards solely through their thoughts.
The recipient of the brain chip is reportedly recovering well.
Musk expressed aspirations for the technology to revolutionise communication for individuals with disabilities to ‘communicate faster than an auctioneer’.
In a social media update on X, he revealed that ‘initial results show promising neuron spike detection’.
The chip will ‘enable control of your phone or computer and through them almost any device, just by thinking’.
Neuralink’s mission, heralded as ‘breakthrough technology for the brain, ' seeks to create a universal brain interface that will restore autonomy for individuals with unmet medical needs while unlocking human potential.
The fully implantable and discreetly designed brain-computer interface promises users the ability to control devices such as computers and mobile phones through mere thought, heralding a new era of seamless human-computer interaction.
Last year, the US Food and Drug Administration granted clearance for Neuralink’s first human trial, a significant step toward addressing paralysis and various neurological conditions.
Nonetheless, concerns over safety protocols emerged, with the company facing fines for violating transportation regulations regarding hazardous materials.
Additionally, calls for investigation arose following reports of adverse effects observed in animal testing, including paralysis, seizures and brain swelling.
Musk defended the company’s practices, stating that measures were taken to minimise risks
The brain chip is hailed on the Neuralink website as ‘Breakthrough technology for the brain’.
The company’s mission is to ‘create a generalised brain interface to restore autonomy to those with unmet medical needs today and unlock human potential tomorrow. Brain-computer interfaces have the potential to improve lives. We want to bring this technology from the lab into people’s homes.’
The ‘brain-computer interface is fully implantable, cosmetically invisible, and designed to let you control a computer or mobile device anywhere you go’.
In September, Musk wrote in a social media post that ‘no monkey has died due to a Neuralink implant’, adding that the company chose ‘terminal’ monkeys to minimise risk to healthy ones.
Despite challenges and controversies, Neuralink remains poised to reshape the landscape of neurotechnology, offering hope for individuals with disabilities and pushing the boundaries of human-computer interaction.
