Elon Musk’s brain implant startup Neuralink began human testing this week after finally getting federal approval last year.<\/b>
\nElon Musk\u2019s brain implant startup Neuralink began human testing this week after finally getting federal approval last year.\u00a0
The billionaire announced the beginning of human trials on Monday in a post on X.
\u201cThe first human received an implant from @Neuralink yesterday and is recovering well,\u201d Mr. Musk posted. \u201cInitial results show promising neuron spike detection.\u201d
Mr. Musk went on to give details about the company\u2019s first product, \u201cTelepathy.\u201d
He said it \u201cenables control of your phone or computer, and through them almost any device, just by thinking.\u201d
\u201cInitial users will be those who have lost the use of their limbs. Imagine if Stephen Hawking could communicate faster than a speed typist or auctioneer. That is the goal,\u201d he said.
The first human study is much like the ones the company conducted on monkeys. A surgical robot implants a brain-computer interface device into the part of the brain that controls movement. The \u201cultra-fine\u201d threads of the device help to transmit signals through the brain.\u00a0
The Food and Drug Administration gave the company the go-ahead in the fall of 2023, and the company soon received approval for human recruitment for trials in September.\u00a0
Despite receiving approval, Neuralink has not been without controversy. Last year, U.S. lawmakers asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate the company after veterinary records showed that Neuralink\u2019s animal test subjects had developed serious health complications after going through testing. The records indicate that monkeys used by Neuralink suffered brain swelling, paralysis and seizures.<\/p>\n