Elon Musk has disclosed that Neuralink, his human technology startup, has successfully implanted a chip into the brain of its inaugural human test participant.
The individual underwent a surgical procedure to implant the chip on Sunday, and Elon Musk reported that the person is in good recovery.
Musk conveyed on X, the social media platform he owns, that the preliminary outcomes demonstrate promising detection of neuron spikes.
The US Food and Drug Administration granted approval for human trials of Neuralink’s brain chips last year, following extensive testing on animals, including pigs, sheep, and monkeys.
Notably, these animal trials led to allegations of animal abuse by animal rights groups.
Neuralink co-founder DJ Seo emphasized a concentrated effort over the past two years to develop a product suitable for human use.
As of now, the company is prepared to extend assistance to an actual human subject.
Think-And-Click: 1,000 Electrode Brain Implant
The brain implant, equipped with 1,000 electrodes, aims to enable individuals to execute computer functions wirelessly through a “think-and-click” mechanism, allowing actions to be initiated by mere thoughts.
In the preceding month, Neuralink expressed its search for quadriplegic individuals under the age of 40 to partake in human trials.
The surgical process involves the removal of a portion of the participant’s skull by a surgeon, followed by the intervention of a 7-foot-tall robot named R1, responsible for implanting 64 threads containing electrodes into the patient’s brain. These electrodes are specifically designed to capture data related to brain activities, particularly those associated with movement intentions.
The recorded neural signals collected by the electrodes are subsequently transmitted to Neuralink’s computers for decoding.
According to DJ Seo, the vice president for engineering at Neuralink, the company’s immediate objective is to create a comprehensive brain interface, aiming to restore autonomy to individuals facing debilitating neurological conditions and unmet medical needs.
In the long run, the ultimate goal is to make this technology accessible to billions of people, unlocking human potential and surpassing our inherent biological capabilities.