The visionary experiment of Elon Musk it’s working. As announced by the South American entrepreneur, the first human patient who has been implanted with a brain chip Neuralink he’s able to control a computer mouse using your mind. The founder of the start-up explained during an event on “his” platform X That “progress is good and the patient appears to have made a full recovery, with neural effects of which we are aware. The patient is able to move the mouse on the screen simply by thinking.”.
The experiment began on January 30, when the Neuralink chip was successfully implanted in the brain of a volunteer, to be precise in the region that controls movements. The start-up founded by Musk in 2016 had received the green light from the Food and Drug Administration in September to recruit volunteers willing to undergo the trial. There was no shortage of controversy, considering criticisms and doubts on the project of the Fremont, California company. But the one celebrated is only a first piece of Mister Tesla’s ambitions.
The ultimate goal of Neuralink is “create a generalized brain interface to restore autonomy to those with unmet medical needs today and unlock human potential tomorrow”. In other words, the goal targeted by Musk is to treat pathologies such as obesity, autism, depression and schizophrenia or even blindness. But not only that: according to the entrepreneur, the chips from his start-up will allow paralyzed people to use smartphones and computers in total autonomy.
At the moment, Neuralink’s results have not been certified by regulatory bodies and there is still no information on the next steps. According to what was announced by the US press, the first chip model on the market should be called Telepathy. During a recent interview, Musk explained that he wanted to allow “to users with disabilities”quoting Stephen Hawking, by “communicate faster than a typist or an auctioneer”. We remind you that Neuralink – a start-up with 400 employees – is not the only company active in research on the brain-machine interface. In particular, the progress made by the Australian seems promising Synchronwhich implanted its first device in a US patient in July 2022. Updates on Musk’s bet expected soon, the first signs are comforting.