Elon Musk’s brain-chip startup, Neuralink, has achieved a major milestone by successfully implanting a brain chip in a human patient who has made a full recovery. The groundbreaking news was shared by Musk himself during a social media event. The implanted brain chip now enables the patient to control a computer mouse using their thoughts, opening up new possibilities for direct interaction between individuals and technology. While specific details about the neural effects were not provided, this achievement represents a significant advancement in neurotechnology.
However, Neuralink has faced scrutiny regarding safety protocols. Recent reports indicate that the company has received fines for violating transportation rules established by the U.S. Department of Transportation pertaining to the movement of hazardous materials.
This recent development follows Neuralink’s previous announcement of obtaining authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to commence clinical trials. Neuralink’s long-term objectives include the treatment of various medical conditions, ranging from mobility impairments caused by paralysis to psychiatric disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Huntington’s Disease, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, chronic pain syndromes, addiction, eating disorders, and sleep disturbances, among others.
The brain-computer interface (BCI) developed by Neuralink operates by capturing and interpreting electrical signals generated by the brain’s neuronal activity. Additionally, the integration of machine learning is employed, where machine learning models analyze large quantities of processed neural data to distinguish intentional behaviors from background noise. This integration improves accuracy and responsiveness over time.
Source: digwatch
