Neuralink receives approval
Musk startup allowed to test chips in human brains
May 26, 2023 at 8:43 am
Elon Musk has many ambitious plans – which do not always work out. However, his startup Neuralink can now take the next step and is allowed to test chips in the human brain. Thoughts should then be able to communicate with computers.
The company Neuralink, founded by Elon Musk, has received approval from the US authorities to test computer chips in the human brain. “We are pleased to announce that we have received FDA approval to begin our first human clinical trial,” Neuralink said on Twitter. FDA approval is “an important first step.”
Musk said at a launch of his startup in December that the implants made by Neuralink would allow minds to communicate directly with computers. “Of course we want to be extremely careful and make sure it works well before we put a device in a human,” Musk said at the time. The billionaire is known for announcing ambitious goals for his companies, some of which never materialize.
He was also behind schedule with Neuralink: Musk announced in July 2019 that he would be able to carry out the first tests on people the following year. So far, the roughly coin-sized prototypes have only been implanted in animals. At the Neuralink presentation, monkeys were shown using the brain chip to “play” simple video games or move a cursor on a screen.
Neuralink is developing additional implants
Musk wants to use the interfaces to cure neurological diseases. The startup is currently developing other implants to be placed in the spinal cord or eyes to restore mobility or vision. However, according to Musk, his primary goal is to ensure that people are not intellectually overwhelmed by systems with artificial intelligence.
Neuralink isn’t the only company working on brain-computer interfaces. In July, competitor Synchron announced that it was the first company to have a corresponding chip implanted in the brain of a US patient.