Elon Musk on Tuesday announced that his Neuralink startup has for the first time successfully installed a brain implant in a human patient, with “promising” initial results.
The patient implanted with this brain-computer device is “recovering well”, according to Elon Musk.
The ambitious project is aimed at supercharging human capabilities as well as treating neurological disorders like ALS or Parkinson's, and one day is likely to achieve the establishment of a symbiotic relationship between artificial intelligence and humans.
He posted on the social media platform X on Monday, “preliminary findings show promising neuron spike detection”
Spikes are activity carried by Neurons, which the National Institute of Health describes as cells that use electrical and chemical signals to send information around the brain and to the body.
In last September, Neuralink said it received approval for recruitment for the human trial. The study uses a robot to surgically place a brain-computer interface(BCI) implant in a region of the brain that controls the intention to move. Adding that it’s initial goal is to enable people to control a computer cursor or keyboard using their thoughts alone.
Musk said in a separate post on X, “The first product from Neuralink would be called Telepathy”
The technology of Neuralink is set to mainly work through an implant known as the “Link”, which is a device nearly the size to five stacked coins, and will be further placed inside the human brain through invasive surgery.
The startups’ prime study is a trial for it’s wireless brain computer interface to evaluate the safety of the implant and surgical robot.
The company faced calls for scrutiny regarding it’s safety protocols. The company was valued at about $5 billion last June, but four lawmakers in late November asked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate whether Musk had misled investors about the safety of it’s technology veterinary records showed problems with the implants on monkey included paralysis, seizures and brain swelling.
Thereafter, Musk wrote in a social media post on Sept.10 that “No monkey has died as a result of a Neuralink implant”. He added that the company chose “terminal” monkeys to minimize risk to healthy ones.
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