Elon Musk made headlines when Neuralinkthe neural technology company led by the entrepreneur, celebrated in late January a significant achievement in the field of medicine and biomedical engineering: the successful implantation of the first brain chip in a human being.
Musk shared the news via his social networking account X, revealing that the individual with the implant was in the process of recovery and that initial results indicated effective detection of neural activity.
At a recent SpaceX event, Musk provided an update on the patient’s progress, assuring that“progress is positive and the patient appears to have fully recovered, experiencing neural effects that we are aware of.”
This development opens the door for Neuralink to offer rapid surgical solutions for a variety of conditions such as obesity, autism, depression and schizophrenia. Musk has expressed interest in “maximizing the mouse clicks made by the patient,” as the patient has been able to “control the mouse with his mind.”
What is the Neuralink brain chip and how does it work?
Called Telepathy, the chip is designed to read the user’s brain activity, send commands to restore damaged brain functions and allow control of mobile devices or computers by thought.
The chip implantation procedure, performed by a robot, involves removing a small section of the skull, connecting electrodes to specific areas of the brain, and suturing the skull without leaving visible scars. Once implanted, the device begins to interpret brain signals and transmits this information to computers via Bluetooth.
This implant has the potential to treat neurological diseases and restore sensory functions lost due to injury, allowing, for example, a person with cerebral palsy to control a robotic arm solely with his or her mind.
Neuralink’s plans
Neuralink’s objectives focus on developing a high-capacity brain-computer interface that facilitates the control of external devices by thought, researching and treating neurological disorders such as stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, epilepsy or paralysis, capturing the electrical signals generated by the brain during the thought process, and facilitating two-way communication between the brain and the computer to control the organ’s functions.
Importantly, the implantation of the first brain chip by Neuralink not only marks a breakthrough in neurotechnology, but also raises important ethical and safety issues. As we move toward greater integration of technology into the human body, it will be crucial to establish sound regulatory and ethical frameworks to ensure patient safety and responsible use of this emerging technology.
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Source: 20minutos.es
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