Musk disclosed the outcome of the first individual to receive a brain implanted with a neurochip
Elon Musk has reported that the initial patient who underwent surgery to have a Neuralink chip implanted in their brain has successfully recuperated and is now capable of maneuvering a computer mouse cursor through mere thoughts. The operation, as a reminder, was conducted at the conclusion of January.
“The progress is promising, and the patient seems to have recuperated without any known side effects. By simply thinking, the patient can navigate the mouse across the screen. The next phase involves clicking,” Musk stated, as cited by The Independent.
The billionaire mentioned that the individual participating in the trial is afflicted with a condition that restricts their ability to move their limbs – the Neuralink neurochip is anticipated to facilitate recovery for them and others. In the future, it is expected to not only enable the control of electronic devices but also aid in the restoration of limb mobility, combatting depression, restoring hearing, and enhancing overall brain functionality.
Neuralink Musk was granted approval to implant neurochips in individuals last summer following successful tests on monkeys that demonstrated the efficacy of the technology. Monkeys with brain implants were able to play the arcade game Pong skillfully by controlling the joystick with their thoughts.
The Neuralink initiative commenced in 2016, and by 2023, the company’s valuation reached $5 billion. Despite this, Musk’s company does not assert precedence in human chip implantation, as the startup Synchron had already implanted a brain-computer interface in a person in 2022, enabling the control of electronic devices through the power of thought.
