2024-02-20 19:41:18
The first human patient implanted with a Neuralink brain chip appears to have fully recovered and is able to control a computer mouse using his thoughts, the startup’s founder Elon Musk said, as quoted by Reuters.
“There is good progress and the patient appears to have fully recovered with no adverse effects. The patient is able to move a mouse on the screen with just a thought,” Musk said on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
The entrepreneur also said that Neuralink is now trying to get as many mouse clicks from the patient as possible.
The company did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for more details.
Neuralink successfully implanted the chip in its first patient last month after receiving approval to recruit people for trials in September.
The research used a robot to surgically place a brain-computer interface implant in an area of the brain that controls the intention to move, Neuralink said. The company added that the initial goal was to enable people to control a computer cursor or keyboard using their thoughts.
Elon Musk has big ambitions for Neuralink, saying the company will facilitate rapid surgical placement of its chips to treat diseases such as obesity, autism, depression and schizophrenia.
Neuralink, which was valued at about $5 billion last year, has faced repeated calls for scrutiny over its safety protocols.