First Human Received A Neuralink Brain Chip Implant
Elon Musk announced that the inaugural recipient has undergone a Neuralink brain chip implant, marking a significant step forward in the advancement of "brain-computer interface" technology.
This innovation holds the potential to assist individuals facing challenges like paralysis, enabling them to engage with their environment.
Elon Musk Tweeted
The individual received the implant the day before and is reportedly in good recovery, indicating a successful surgery with no major technical issues. Elon Musk did not share specifics about the patient.
Last September, when Neuralink announced its search for a trial participant, it mentioned a preference for someone with quadriplegia.
Musk mentioned promising early results in "neuron spike detection," suggesting that the Neuralink brain chip can identify signals from individual neurons within the brain. This potential advancement could lead to better decoding of high-quality brain signals. However,
Musk did not disclose the number of neurons the brain chip is currently detecting.
The company has not provided in-depth safety and efficacy data necessary to assess the success of the implant, according to researchers.
Blackrock Neurotech possesses an older device that has been successfully implanted in numerous patients. These individuals have demonstrated the ability to perform tasks such as eating, sending emails, and operating robotic arms simply by using their thoughts, as reported by the company.
Neuralink, established in 2016, was last valued at $3.5 billion in a round of equity financing conducted in November, according to data from PitchBook.
Neuralink has introduced a product known as "Telepathy," with the ultimate aim of allowing control of a smartphone or computer through thought, as stated by Elon Musk on Monday. The company has showcased videos featuring monkeys implanted with its device manipulating a cursor and playing the video game Pong.
How and Where Neuralink Brain Chip Implanted
Neuralink competes with several other companies in the field of brain-computer interfaces. One competitor, Synchron, has created a stent-like device that is implanted in the jugular vein on the surface of the patient's brain, rather than within the brain tissue itself.
Another company, Precision Neuroscience, has temporarily placed its microelectrode array inside the brains of six patients to gather test data before removing it. This device, which is one-fifth the thickness of a human hair, is designed to sit on top of the brain.
How an Implanted Brain Will Respond to The Inserted Threads Over Time
The concern is that tissue growth around the implants could lead to a deterioration of the electric signals they record.
Achieving the first surgery within less than six months of announcing the trial recruitment not only highlights Neuralink's swift operational capability but also signifies a substantial demand for the company's product, as noted by Jacob Robinson, the founder and CEO of Motif Neurotech.
Motif Neurotech is working on its brain implant with the aspiration of eventually treating depression. Robinson emphasized that this rapid progress confirms the significant interest and demand for neurotechnology.
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