On Sunday, the inaugural human recipient of an implant from the brain-chip company Neuralink is reportedly in stable recovery, according to the company’s founder, billionaire Elon Musk. Musk shared on the social media platform X on Monday that the initial findings indicate promising detection of neuron spikes. Neuron spikes refer to the activity of neurons, which are cells using electrical and chemical signals to transmit information within the brain and throughout the body, as described by the National Institute of Health.
Last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted Neuralink clearance to conduct its first human trial, a significant milestone in the startup’s mission to address paralysis and various neurological conditions. In September, Neuralink received approval to recruit participants for the trial. The study involves the use of a robot for the surgical placement of a brain-computer interface (BCI) implant in a specific brain region controlling the intention to move. Neuralink aims to empower individuals to control a computer cursor or keyboard solely through their thoughts, utilizing the “ultra-fine” threads of the implants to transmit signals within participants’ brains.
Elon Musk revealed in a separate post on X that the initial product from Neuralink will be named Telepathy. The company’s PRIME Study, focused on evaluating the safety of the wireless brain-computer interface implant and the surgical robot, is underway.
As of now, Neuralink has not responded to a request for additional details.
