Elon Musk announced a significant milestone for his brain-science startup, Neuralink that the company had successfully implanted a device into a human for the very first time.
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This groundbreaking achievement brings us closer to a future where people can effortlessly control a wide range of external devices through the power of their thoughts alone.
Musk revealed the information on X. He posted that the patient, whose identity remains undisclosed, underwent an implant on Sunday and is currently in a successful recovery process. The preliminary findings indicated promising detection of neuron spikes. However, Musk did not provide any further details regarding the procedure, the patient, or the specific device utilized by the company.
The first human received an implant from @Neuralink yesterday and is recovering well.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 29, 2024
Initial results show promising neuron spike detection.
For many years, scientists have been dedicated to exploring similar concepts for brain-computer interfaces. If these endeavors prove successful, they could potentially aid individuals with physical disabilities, revolutionize communication methods, and more.
At present, there is no immediate independent verification of Neuralink's advancements. Last year, one of Neuralink's competitors, Precision Neuroscience, accomplished the first-ever human implantation of its device.
Elon Reeve Musk, a renowned businessman and investor, was born on June 28, 1971. He holds various prominent roles in several groundbreaking companies. Musk is the founder, chairman, CEO, and CTO of SpaceX, a pioneering aerospace manufacturer and space transportation company. Additionally, he serves as an angel investor, CEO, product architect, and former chairman of Tesla, Inc., a leading electric vehicle and clean energy company. Musk is also the owner, chairman, and CTO of X Corp., a company focused on developing advanced technologies. Furthermore, he is the founder of the Boring Company, which aims to revolutionize tunneling and transportation systems, and xAI, an organization dedicated to artificial intelligence research.
Musk's contributions extend to co-founding Neuralink, a cutting-edge American neurotechnology company specializing in implantable brain-computer interfaces. Moreover, he is a co-founder of OpenAI, an artificial intelligence research laboratory, and serves as the president of the Musk Foundation, a philanthropic organization. As of 2022, Neuralink is headquartered in Fremont, California, and continues to make significant advancements in its field under the leadership of Elon Musk and a team of seven talented scientists and engineers.
Musk's announcement arrives eight months subsequent to Neuralink's announcement of receiving approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to commence its inaugural clinical study involving human subjects. In September, Neuralink declared its intention to initiate the recruitment of patients for the study.
San Francisco-based Neuralink did not provide an immediate response to a request for additional information. The FDA, responsible for overseeing medical devices and granting approval for any consumer product, also did not promptly respond to a request for comment regarding Musk's announcement. Previously, Neuralink had stated its intention to develop a brain implant known as the Link, aimed at assisting patients with severe paralysis in utilizing external technologies. On Monday, Musk revealed that Neuralink's initial product would be called Telepathy, without specifying whether it was a new device or simply a rebranding of the previously mentioned device.
Neuralink has been accused of mistreating some of the monkeys used in its experiments in recent years. According to Reuters, the U.S. Department of Agriculture conducted an investigation last year and found no violations of animal research rules, except for a self-reported incident in 2019 where a Neuralink surgeon used an unapproved sealant to close holes drilled into a monkey's skull.
Elon Musk said that the Telepathy product would enable people to control their phone or computer, as well as other devices, solely through their thoughts. He mentioned on X that the initial users would be those who have lost the use of their limbs. Musk envisioned a scenario where Stephen Hawking could communicate faster than a professional typist or auctioneer, emphasizing the goal of the technology.
In 2016, Musk co-founded Neuralink, a brain science startup, which joined his other leading companies, Tesla and SpaceX. In 2022, he acquired X, formerly known as Twitter. TechCrunch reported that Neuralink has received support from over 30 investors, including Peter Thiel's Founders Fund, co-founder of PayPal. Musk also revealed his intention to personally receive one of the Neuralink implants in 2022.
