Elon Musk’s Neuralink successfully puts its ‘telepathy’ chip inside the first human |
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Neuralink, Elon Musk’s brain implant startup, has completed its first brain implant on a human patient. And the billionaire says that the patient is “recovering well” one day after the surgery, and is showing promising results of neuron spike detection.
Musk provided no further information about the procedure or the trial’s status. However, he shared some information about the startup’s first product, which he calls “Telepathy,” and we believe that the same product is being tested with the said patient.
As the name implies, the chip deems power like Charles Xavier, aka Professor X from X-Men comics.Well, you can’t read or control the minds of others, but those with “Telepathy” implanted in their brain can control almost any device, whether a phone or computer, using their mind. Musk adds that the goal is to have someone like Stephen Hawking communicate faster than a professional typist or auctioneer.
The initial users of this product are those who have lost control of their limbs.
Neuralink received the approval for human trials in 2023, and later in the year, Bloomberg reported that thousands have lined up for the six-year trial of brain chips. The startup was seeking adult candidates under 40 with quadriplegia due to a vertical spinal cord injury or ALS and all four limbs paralysed, to participate in their study.
As per Bloomberg’s report, a small portion of the skull is removed, and a computer, the size of a quarter, is implanted to collect and analyse brain activity. The computer stays in place for years. Participants will undergo an 18-month study comprising nine visits with researchers. They will then attend at least two hours per week of brain-computer interface research sessions, followed by 20 additional visits over five years.
The company released a press statement at the time stating that human trials focus on testing the safety and functionality of their chip implant. The primary objective of this study is to enable participants to control a computer cursor or keyboard using their thoughts alone.
So far, this is the first human in public knowledge to have undergone Neuralink’s trial. The startup has tested its brain-computer interface on animals, and it even showcased the trial subjects at public events. A monkey played ping pong, and another learned to type messages and charge wirelessly. A pig even ran on a treadmill. However, former employees have criticised the testing as “hack jobs” and allege unnecessary animal suffering, leading to investigations from multiple departments, including the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Transportation.
Musk provided no further information about the procedure or the trial’s status. However, he shared some information about the startup’s first product, which he calls “Telepathy,” and we believe that the same product is being tested with the said patient.
As the name implies, the chip deems power like Charles Xavier, aka Professor X from X-Men comics.Well, you can’t read or control the minds of others, but those with “Telepathy” implanted in their brain can control almost any device, whether a phone or computer, using their mind. Musk adds that the goal is to have someone like Stephen Hawking communicate faster than a professional typist or auctioneer.
The initial users of this product are those who have lost control of their limbs.
Neuralink received the approval for human trials in 2023, and later in the year, Bloomberg reported that thousands have lined up for the six-year trial of brain chips. The startup was seeking adult candidates under 40 with quadriplegia due to a vertical spinal cord injury or ALS and all four limbs paralysed, to participate in their study.
As per Bloomberg’s report, a small portion of the skull is removed, and a computer, the size of a quarter, is implanted to collect and analyse brain activity. The computer stays in place for years. Participants will undergo an 18-month study comprising nine visits with researchers. They will then attend at least two hours per week of brain-computer interface research sessions, followed by 20 additional visits over five years.
The company released a press statement at the time stating that human trials focus on testing the safety and functionality of their chip implant. The primary objective of this study is to enable participants to control a computer cursor or keyboard using their thoughts alone.
So far, this is the first human in public knowledge to have undergone Neuralink’s trial. The startup has tested its brain-computer interface on animals, and it even showcased the trial subjects at public events. A monkey played ping pong, and another learned to type messages and charge wirelessly. A pig even ran on a treadmill. However, former employees have criticised the testing as “hack jobs” and allege unnecessary animal suffering, leading to investigations from multiple departments, including the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Transportation.
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