On the 30th, Musk's "brain computer" once again attracted global attention.
Musk posted on the same day that his brain-computer interface company (neuralink) has completed the first human brain device implantation surgery, and said that the accessor is "recovering well".
Musk's brain-computer interface company "Neural Connect" (Neural Connect) data map).
Just think about it to control your phone or computer and use them to control almost any device. The initial users will be those who have lost their limbs. Imagine if Stephen Hawking could communicate faster than a typist or auctioneer. That's what we're aiming for. ”
Is this "brain machine" named "telepathy" really so magical? What the hell is it for?
The main purpose of the brain computer is to translate brain signals into action, and it will first focus on two applications: one is to restore human vision, and the other is to help people who cannot move their muscles to control devices such as smartphones, and even restore the whole body function of people with spinal cord injuries.
Brain-computer device implantation process (Source: neuralink).
This technology relies mainly on "brain-computer interfaces", which are implanted in the brain with tiny electrodes that use electrical current to allow the computer to interact with brain cells. At this stage, brain-computer technology is divided into invasive, non-invasive and interventional according to different signal acquisition methods and locations.
Invasive brain-computer interface refers to the craniotomy surgery, in which electrodes are implanted near the cerebral cortex to directly collect high-quality EEG signals. This method can obtain high-quality, high-spatially and temporally resolved signals of neural electrical activity, but it also has disadvantages such as surgical risks, biocompatibility issues, and long-term stability issues. Musk's neuralink mainly studies this type.
As early as 1999, in the film "The Matrix", there was a "brain computer" - in the movie, humans in the real world need to enter the "mother" world by inserting connectors. This "posterior intubation" method is a typical invasive brain-computer interface.
In addition, there are non-invasive brain-computer interfaces for signal acquisition and stimulation through the scalp surface or other routes. A similar "brain-computer link" can be seen in the movie "Avatar". Through the induction cabin, scientists synchronize people's brains with Avatar induction, so that people's consciousness can enter the Avatar body. After becoming an Avatar, the "hair" that grows on the back of the Na'vi's head wraps around the neural interface. The Na'vi are able to connect with the creatures on the planet Pandora through the "axon nerves", which is also a way of "brain-computer linking".
At the same time, "brain-computer linkage" can also be carried out through minimally invasive intervention, that is, the interventional brain-computer interface of brain-computer connection can be realized through minimally invasive surgery similar to cardiac stents.
In 2019, Musk released his first product, which uses a laser to drill a hole in the skull, and then bypasses the blood vessels in the brain and implants a line into the brain.
It is reported that in addition to the medical field, brain-computer interface may also be applied to various home life fields in the future, such as by measuring and extracting signals from the central nervous system of the human brain to realize the control of external household equipment.
Many of Musk's followers are looking forward to the future of brain-computer applications, as Neuralink's achievements are impressive.
In April 2021, Neuralink released a video showing a monkey implanted in its device playing a video game "telepathically", demonstrating the team's major breakthrough in brain control research.
According to CCTV Finance, the macaque named "Pag" in ** was implanted with a brain-computer interface before filming. Initially, the research team taught "Pug" to play the game using a game joystick and rewarded it with a banana milkshake fed through a metal straw. At this stage, the brain-computer device records which neurons are activated and models the "brain-computer connection" between the "Pag" neural activity and the intended direction of movement. Later, the researchers disconnected the joystick from the computer, and without the joystick, "Pug" used only his mind to control the cursor and continue to play the game of ping-pong.
However, there are also opinions in the scientific community that are skeptical of the ultimate goal proposed by Neuralink. At the same time, issues such as the safety of the trial have been repeatedly debated, such as the probability of success of lithium batteries and cables implanted into the brain for brain-computer interface devices, and how to safely extract the device without damaging brain tissue. As a result, neuralink's applications for human trials have been repeatedly denied, and it took six years to go through regulatory review.
In addition, Neuralink has also faced controversy over alleged animal cruelty in earlier animal trials, but Neuralink's subsequent high activity has attracted the attention of a large number of investors, and there were thousands of people queuing up for the experiment when recruiting trial volunteers.
Text reporter cold.
*: Yangcheng Evening News.