Neuralink, Musk’s brain interface company that hopes to merge humans with computers, began the first human trial of its technology in January with a view to restoring lost functions like movement and communication to people with paralysis.
Topline
The first human implanted with a chip from Elon Musk’s computer-brain interface company Neuralink has recovered and can move a computer mouse with thought alone, the tech billionaire announced on Monday, a brief insight into the firm’s progress as it works towards restoring lost abilities like movement and sight and enhancing others like memory and intelligence.Key Facts
The first human recipient of a Neuralink brain chip appears to have made a full recovery from the January procedure, Musk said in an X Spaces event hosted by journalist Katherine Brodsky late on Monday.
The surgery, aided by Neuralink’s surgical robot, marked a milestone for the company and its efforts to directly connect brains to computers after it received permission in September to recruit patients to test the device’s ability to help people with paralysis regain lost functions by controlling computers with thought.
“Progress is good,” the billionaire said, adding that the patient is suffering “no ill effects” the company is aware of.
The patient is able to “move the mouse around a screen just by thinking,” Musk said.
Neuralink is “trying to get as many button presses as possible from thinking,” Musk said, noting that multiple actions like holding a button while moving a mouse can be key to unlocking different actions on a computer.
