**: iDark Horse (ID: iheima).
On January 30, 2024, Musk announced on social media that his company Neuralink has completed the first human brain chip implant surgery and is recovering well. This breakthrough means that humanity is one step closer to achieving a direct connection between the brain and the computer.
According to Musk, Neuralink's first product, called "telepathy," allows people to control their phones or computers with just their minds, and use these devices to control almost any other device — no doubt a sign that the concept of science fiction is gradually becoming a reality.
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The valuation is close to $2 billion.
Founded in 2016, Neuralink is a brain science company founded by Musk and a number of scientists, mainly with Musk's personal funds to maintain its operations. The company's main research direction is brain-computer interfaces, which enable "human-machine interaction" by developing a device that can be implanted in the brain.
According to the data, brain-computer interface (BCI) is a technology that directly establishes a communication connection between the brain and external devices. It allows the brain to interact directly with computers, cell phones, or other electronic devices without relying on traditional muscle or neural pathways. Brain-computer articulation** usually involves implanting tiny electrodes into the brain to read neural activity, or using a non-invasive device, such as a wearable helmet, to monitor brain activity.
At present, most BCI R&D companies on the market use "non-invasive technology", while Neuralink uses a more radical "invasive technology". According to the official website, Neuralink is developing a "fully implanted, wireless, high-channel-count brain-computer interface", with the goal of enabling paralyzed patients to quickly and easily operate computers and mobile devices directly using their neural activity.
In May 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Neuralink for human trials of its device, which Musk described as a "Fitbit on the skull." In September 2023, the company began recruiting volunteers for its first-in-human trial.
The initial users of the product will be those who have lost their limbs. Imagine what it would have been like if Stephen Hawking had been a faster communicator than a typist or auctioneer? That's what we're aiming for. Musk said.
Following the success of the first human implant, Neuralink expects to gradually increase the number of surgeries over the next few years – 11 in 2024, 27 in 2025 and 79 in 2026. Neuralink estimates that each implant procedure costs about $1050,000 US dollars (about 7.)RMB 630,000), including inspections, parts and labor, etc.
According to foreign media reports, as early as June 2023, Neuralink was valued at more than $5 billion. In a round 2 two years agoIn the $0.5 billion private placement, Neuralink is valued at nearly $2 billion.
Commercialization still faces challenges.
With the continuous breakthrough of AI technology, coupled with the progress of key technologies such as biocompatible electrodes and minimally invasive implantation, industry insiders generally believe that the future of brain-computer interface is full of infinite possibilities.
In terms of application scenarios, the industry's most advanced brain-computer imaging can be applied in many fields such as medical treatment, entertainment, and education, such as helping people with disabilities to restore sensory or motor function, neurological diseases, improving physiological function in healthy people, and entertainment in virtual reality, games, and other interactive applications. In addition, this technology has the potential to play a role in many fields such as the military, space exploration, augmented reality, and more.
Musk has repeatedly expressed optimism about the prospects of Neuralink, believing that the technology will facilitate the rapid surgical insertion of his chip devices to diseases such as obesity, autism, depression and psychosis. He said the company's long-term goal is to benefit billions of people, unleash human potential and surpass our biological capabilities.
However, although some progress has been made in the trial, it still takes a long time for the commercial application of brain-computer interfaces, that is, the commercial implantation of human brain chips. "I do think there's a danger in overhyping it. Jaimie Henderson, a consultant at Neuralink and professor of neurosurgery at Stanford University, said in a recent interview that he is excited about the technology, but he believes it will be years before the approved device becomes available.
Kip Ludwig, co-director of the University of Wisconsin's Institute for Neural Engineering, mentioned in an interview last year that he optimistically estimated that it would take at least another 10 years for Neuralink to commercialize its brain implants.
In addition, the commercialization of brain-computer interfaces is also influenced by ethical, safety, and regulatory aspects. Since brain-computer imaging directly involves the human brain, its application raises a series of questions about privacy, data security, and ethical norms. The solution of these problems will be an important prerequisite for promoting the commercialization of brain-computer interfaces.