On Monday, Elon Musk announced that the inaugural recipient of a Neuralink brain chip successfully manipulated a computer mouse cursor solely through their thoughts.
Elon Musk, the billionaire, announced on Monday that a human patient who had been implanted with a brain chip from his startup Neuralink has made a complete recovery and is now able to control a computer mouse using their thoughts. Last month, Neuralink revealed that they had successfully implanted the chip in their first human patient, who is now in the process of recovering. During a Spaces event on the social media platform X, Musk stated that the patient’s progress has been positive, with noticeable neural effects. The patient is now able to move a mouse on the screen simply by thinking. The Neuralink device currently comprises a chip and an electrode array with over 1,000 flexible conductors that are inserted into the cerebral cortex using a surgical robot. These electrodes are designed to detect thoughts related to movement. Musk envisions that, in the future, an app will be able to translate these signals into computer control through thought. Musk expressed his hope that this technology will enable individuals who have lost the use of their limbs to regain control over their phones, computers, and other devices. He even mentioned the possibility of someone like Stephen Hawking being able to communicate faster than a professional typist or auctioneer. This ambitious goal was shared by Musk in a post on the X platform in January of this year.
The initial aspirations of the company appeared to be focused on merging the human brain with artificial intelligence. However, their current efforts seem to be directed towards the more practical objective of developing brain-computer interfaces in the short term.
Musk’s recent announcement on Monday did not come as a complete surprise. In May 2023, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted approval for Neuralink’s chip to undergo human clinical trials. Subsequently, in September of the same year, the company announced the commencement of a study for individuals with quadriplegia, opening enrollment to participants.
Meanwhile, the company has faced a series of scandals, seemingly on a large scale. Wired magazine reported in September 2023 about the distressing experiences endured by monkeys involved in Neuralink’s trials, which ultimately led to their euthanasia. These monkeys suffered from various complications, including bloody diarrhea, partial paralysis, and cerebral edema (swelling of the brain).