Cover The first successful implant of a computer chip in a human brain, paves the way for further innovation and consumer products (Photo: Getty Images)
The first successful implant of a computer chip in a human brain, paves the way for further innovation and consumer products (Photo: Getty Images)
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The company is looking to perform another eight trials in 2024 to assist people with injured spiral cords
Elon Musk's brain chip company, Neuralink, announced that it has successfully implanted a second patient with its device that is designed to assist paralysed patients regain a degree of autonomy by allowing them to control devices using their thoughts. The company also stated that it intends to perform another eight trials later this year.
In late January 2024, Neuralink implanted its first chip in Noland Arbaugh, a quadriplegic, who has since used the device named 'Telepathy' to play online chess, video games and a host of other activities the previously could not do.
Though Neuralink received regulatory approval to conduct the second test, it did so after making modifications to the procedure. This came after the implants in Arbaugh's brain retracted, resulting in Neuralink putting the impants deeper into his motor cortex, the region of the brain that controls voluntary movements, including their planning, execution and coordination.
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Above Neuralink wants to create products that allow users to control their smartphones with their minds (Photo: Neuralink)
Neuralink wants to create products that allow users to control their smartphones with their minds (Photo: Neuralink)
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In response to the news, Gen.T honouree Dean Ho, who is director of The Institute for Digital Medicine at the National University of Singapore, says, “The initial descriptions indicate that the device can measure the activity of the brain cells or neurons. The next step may be using these signals to power prosthetic devices to enable mobility.”
Neuralink aims to connect human brains to computers to help tackle complex neurological conditions. Several rival firms have already implanted similar devices.
“Many people are working on brain-computer interface (BCI) to help people address conditions ranging from blindness to paralysis. The subsequent work by the company will likely look at the efficacy and durability of the technology,” adds Ho.
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Above An image of the implant (Photo: Neuralink)
An image of the implant (Photo: Neuralink)
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The successful completion of the procedure in January brought Neuralink one step closer to launching its first product, Telepathy, which it claimed wouldl allow users to control devices such as smartphones and computers through thought.
“As the materials and electrode designs used for neurotechnology continue to evolve, the hope is that these solutions will improve the quality of life for patients,” says Ho.
The surgery by Neuralink comes just months after the company revealed it had received regulatory approval to test its brain chips in humans.
Neuralink has faced significant criticism for conducting medical research involving trials of its chip on live monkeys, resulting in the deaths of roughly 1,500 animals between 2018 and 2022. The company has been working for half a decade to use implants to connect the human brain to a computer.
According to a Reuters report in 2022, the company tried to make a monkey play Pong, one of the first video games. They attempted to do so using an implant, but the animal died due to the experiment. Employees at Neuralink later admitted that the company was in a hurry to launch the product, which caused the careless deaths of the animals, resulting in a federal investigation.
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