By Michael Scott
Musk notes that ‘Telepathy’ will be the first Neuralink product, permitting users to use their thoughts to manage digital devices.
Elon Musk, Neuralink’s owner, notes that the first human patient with a brain-computer device is ‘recuperating well.’ According to a January 29 post on X (formerly Twitter), he claimed the individual got the implant the previous day. In addition, he claimed that initial findings demonstrated ‘positive neural spike recognition.’
According to Musk, Neuralink’s brain implant seeks to help persons with paralysis or devastating injuries to interact with a computer or phone via thinking.
Musks Targets Neuralink to Restore Motion in Recipients
Musk noted that Telepathy is Neuralink’s first product. Musk also asked people to visualize a scenario where Stephen Hawking communicated quicker than an auctioneer or speed typist. That is the goal.
In September 2023, Neuralink initially opened up applications for human clinical trials. This came after acquiring consent from its PRIME (Precise Robotically Implanted Brain-Computer Interface) study from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May last year.
The PRIME study’s initial objective is to develop an effective Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) that permits individuals to ‘use their thoughts to control a keyboard or computer cursor.’
The Brain-Computer Interface functions by opening a small part in the patient’s skull and utilizing a surgical robot to install the Neuralink device in a brain region that governs movement intention. This device contains ‘flexible and wonderful threads.’
After implantation, it becomes ‘cosmetically unnoticeable.’ It is a transmission and recording device that moves information to an application that later deciphers the thoughts into digital movement on a device.
Regulators Question Neuralink Over Safety Practices
Recently, regulators have criticized Neuralink’s safety practices. Four United States legislators have requested an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) concerning Elon’s claims about the implants’ safety.
In a currently-erased post on September 10, he noted that the Neuralink implants had ‘not killed any monkeys.’ The legislators stressed that this was an untrue statement aimed at deceiving investors.
A September 20 letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission’s enforcement division showed that according to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, at least 12 young monkeys were killed. This is after they developed devastating health issues directly associated with the implants.