Neuralink Completes First Human Implant

Elon Musk's Neuralink, founded in 2017 to help implant electrodes into the human brain, is said to have completed his first human implant. The CEO announced this via his X handle on Monday. According to Musk, the first Neuralink product is called Telepathy.

Musks reviews that the neural link in plants would help humans control their phones, computers, or any other device just by thinking.

The CEO also revealed that the process has been successful, and the person who was used for the testing is recovering well.

His post on X, formerly called Twitter, reads,

• The first human received an implant from @Neuralink yesterday and is recovering well. Initial results show promising neuron spike detection.

• Initial 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.

Neuralink Technology

According to some researchers, Neuralink works closely on decades of technology to implant electrodes in human brains to interpret signals and treat conditions such as paralysis, epilepsy, and Parkinson's disease. The early device is called the 'Utah array' and was first revealed to humans in 2004, bringing more competitors into the field, including firms like Synchron and Precision Neuroscience.

The Neuralink device contains more than 1,000 electrodes, more than other implants. It targets individual neurons, while many other devices in development target signals from groups of neurons. If it works, this should enable a higher degree of precision.

How the Neuralink works

The implant inputs the chip and other electronics into the user's skull with the help of wireless communications, which will send out brain signal data to a Neuralink app, which helps in decoding them into actions and intents. Charging of the device is done wirelessly. 

Neuralink is specifically designed to assist paralyzed people. Musk says this device could help people with hearing and vision loss. He believes the implant could one day allow for futuristic goals such as assisting humans to merge with artificial intelligence.

The US Food and Drug Administration approved Neuralink's clinical trials on humans in May last year, following implant trials on various animals.

The company was heavily criticized for its surgical work in animals, particularly primates, by groups such as the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, which said Neuralink botched many of those surgeries.

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