The first successful experiment of implanting a computer chip in the human brain

 

Elon Musk, owner of the microblogging website X (formerly Twitter), announced on Tuesday that his company Neuralink has successfully implanted a wireless brain chip into the human brain for the first time. Elon Musk posted on his X account that the first human has been implanted with a Neuralink brain chip and the patient is now recovering.

Referring to the brain's ability to send signals to the body, Musk said his initial results were "promising" with the detection of neuron spikes. He added that the product is named after 'telepathy' (the ability to communicate mentally).

In another post on X, Musk explained that the implant connects the brain to any electronic device. It will enable you to control your phone, computer or any device just by thinking. He added that the initial users of the chip will be those who have lost the use of their limbs. American startup Neuraling last year won clearance from the US health watchdog to conduct the first human trial of its implant, which it aims to use to help stroke patients.

According to Neuralink's website, the company's mission is to create a 'universal brain interface' to restore autonomy to people whose medical needs are unmet. The research trial of the brain implant, called PRIME, will include quadriplegic patients as well as those with spinal cord injuries and even amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Musk's attempt to make telepathy a reality has previously come under scrutiny after the company was fined this month for violating trial safety protocols. The $5 billion company was also accused of misleading investors about the safety of the technology, after its test trials showed paralysis, seizures and brain swelling in animals.