2024-02-03 21:00:00
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The eccentric tycoon and founder of Neuralink, Elon Muskannounced that last Sunday the first brain implant in a human was successfully carried out by this emerging company, highlighting on Monday, through a publication on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), that The patient is in a satisfactory recovery process.
Authorization to carry out this pioneering clinical trial in humans was awarded last year by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), marking a milestone in the company’s history.
A brain implant restores speech to people with paralysis
Musk complemented his message on the social network by highlighting that preliminary results indicate promising detection of neural spikes, which predicts a promising future for this technology.
control devices with your mind
The startup’s PRIME study, an investigation of its wireless brain-computer interface, has as its main objective to evaluate the safety of both the implant and the surgical robot used in the procedure.
This study aims to verify the functionality of the interface, which, as detailed on the company’s website, would allow individuals with quadriplegia – paralysis of all four limbs – to control electronic devices solely with their thoughts.
Video: Walking again thanks to an experimental implant
Specifically, this study aims to “evaluate the safety of our implant (N1) and the surgical robot (R1), in addition to examining the initial functionality of our BCI to allow people with paralysis to control external devices through thought,” says the company.
“Throughout the study, The R1 Robot will be used to surgically place the ultra-thin, flexible threads of the N1 Implant in a region of the brain that controls movement intention. “Once installed, the N1 Implant is aesthetically invisible and is designed to record and transmit brain signals wirelessly to an application that decodes movement intent,” she adds.
SKEPTICISM
The device developed by Neuralink is characterized by having an advanced array of 1,024 electrodes, designed to capture with great precision the subtle fluctuations of neuronal activity. Placing this device in the brain is a highly technical process that requires a surgical robot, given the submillimeter precision needed to avoid damage to delicate brain structures and ensure correct interaction with neural signals.
BCI technology, or Brain-Computer Interface, pursues a future in which human thought has the ability to interact directly with electronic devices, allowing the user to execute various tasks through the simple will of their mind, from Internet browsing to telepathic communication between individuals, an aspiration that Elon Musk has contemplated for years and that has captured the imagination of millions.
Neuralink
Neuralink brain implant.
However, the transition to this new era of neural interconnection is not without challenges and ethical dilemmas. The possibility of directly accessing and manipulating brain activity raises fundamental questions about the privacy, autonomy and security of individuals.
These risks, palpable and significant, invite us to an exercise in critical reflection and a cautious approach to this technology, maintaining a healthy skepticism regarding its potential repercussions on society and on the very essence of the human condition.
NOT THE FIRST
It is also important to mention that Neuralink is not leading the race towards innovation in the brain-computer interface when reaching the clinical trial phase.
A US startup, known as Synchronoushad already managed to implant devices in five patients by July 2022. According to the company’s statements, these patients were able to perform activities such as communicating by email and sending text messages, among other tasks, by using these implants.
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