How is the first patient with the Neuralink brain chip doing now?

Sharing on X, Elon Musk - 52-year-old technology entrepreneur said that the unidentified patient who was recently implanted with the Neuralink brain chip "is recovering well".

“Initial results show the chip has promising neuron mutation detection capabilities,” Musk added. Musk did not provide any further information about the patient’s condition or the implant procedure.

The microscopic implant has dozens of thread-like electrodes that are implanted in the brain and relay electrical signals from neurons, according to the Wall Street Journal . The chip is placed in the area of the brain that controls the intention to move, Reuters reported.

Musk previously shared on X that his brain science startup is working on creating its first product with “telepathy” capabilities. Musk also announced that Neuralink’s brain implant will be called Link. Musk did not confirm whether the new implant is this product or not.

In a follow-up post on X, Musk revealed the product would allow people to control phones and computers “with just their thoughts.”

“The potential initial users of this product will be people who can no longer use their limbs,” Musk explained. “Imagine if Stephen Hawking could communicate faster. That’s our goal.”

In 2022, Musk confirmed that he will also receive his own Neuralink implant, according to CNBC.

This implant procedure follows the June 2023 procedure that Neuralink's competitor, Precision Neuroscience, performed, according to CNBC.

CNBC reported that Neuralink received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for human studies in May 2023. Neuralink then began recruiting participants in September.

Since its founding in 2016, the company has faced accusations of violating the Animal Welfare Act. But in December 2022, Reuters reported that the USDA had found no violations beyond a self-reported incident in 2019 – when a Neuralink surgeon used an unapproved substance to plug holes drilled into a monkey’s skull.

Phuong Anh (Source: People)

Source