The future is here. Elon Musk's neurotechnology company Neuralink has announced implanting its first chip, Telepathy, in a human for the first time. Initial results of the trial show neuron spike detection, as Telepathy promises to provide users control over devices by just using the power of thought.
The patient, whose details were not disclosed, was recovering well in the trial, the company said on January 29.
“The first human received an implant from @Neuralink yesterday and is recovering well. Initial results show promising neuron spike detection," Musk posted on his X platform, formerly Twitter.
"Enables control of your phone or computer, and through them almost any device, just by thinking. 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."
What is Telepathy brain chip that has got Musk and others excited?
Musk claims Telepathy will allow people who are paralysed to control devices such as their smartphones much more efficiently by just using their mind power without the need for hands or fingers.
Anointed the PRIME Study, this human chip implant trial will assess its wireless brain-computer interface to evaluate the safety of the implant and surgical robot, a Reuters report said.
The study will also assess the functionality of the interface, which enables people with quadriplegia or paralysis of all four limbs to control devices with their thoughts, Neuralink wrote in its official website.
Enables control of your phone or computer, and through them almost any device, just by thinking.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.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 30, 2024
Earlier tests
Musk's Neuralink has already conducted comprehensive trials on animals. The tech billionaire founder even shared videos of monkeys playing a game of pong while navigating the screen with just its brain.
These tests, however, landed Musk and the company in trouble after animal rights groups protested these experiments, reports said.
Other issues include calls for scrutiny regarding its safety protocols.
Reuters reported earlier in January that Neuralink was fined for violating US Department of Transportation (DOT) rules regarding the movement of hazardous materials.
In November 2023, four US lawmakers asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate whether Musk committed securities fraud by allegedly misleading investors about the safety of a brain implant being developed by Neuralink.
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