Elon Musk's Neuralink has achieved the first implantation of a human brain chip, aiming to develop a technology to help severely paralyzed patients. Musk shared the news on social **: "The first subject received the implantation of Neuralink and is recovering well. ”
In a subsequent post, Musk said of the technology: "Imagine if Stephen Hawking could get his heart out more quickly, that's our goal." This technique is similar to telepathy".
Neuralink's first human trial was Prime (Precision Robotic Implantation of a Brain-Computer Interface), which attracted the interest of patients with quadriplegia due to spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Using a robot, the researchers will surgically place the implant's "ultra-thin, flexible cable" in a brain area of the brain responsible for motor control. The chip continuously collects EEG signals and decodes the motor intent through software.
The main objective of the Prime study is to evaluate the safety of the implant and the effectiveness of the surgical robot performing the implant. It will also evaluate the functionality of the interface. This will allow people to control electronic devices with their "minds". Musk even hinted that the technology could one day equip humans with "superhuman cognitive abilities."
In Neuralink's own words, the goal is to "create a universal brain interface that will restore autonomy for people with unmet medical needs today and unlock the human potential of tomorrow." ”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized Neuralink to conduct its first human trial last year, having previously conducted similar tests on animals. Neuralink was founded in 2016 by Elon Musk and a small team of scientists and engineers.