Elon Musk's "brain-computer interface" company, Neuralink, has made new progress: it has started recruiting volunteers for human trials.
This experiment consists of three parts: firstly, the NI implant, which is a brain-machine device; secondly, the R1 robot, capable of performing the implant surgery; and thirdly, the N1 user application, which can connect to N1 and convert brain signals into computer actions.
Elon Musk's brain-computer interface (BCI) company, Neuralink, has received approval from an independent review board to begin its first human clinical trial for brain implant chips. The trial, which is recruiting volunteers, aims to help patients with spinal cord injuries or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) regain mobility. The approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was obtained in May of this year. The trial will span six years and is open to patients aged 22 and above who are paralyzed due to vertical spinal cord injuries or ALS.
Neuralink, founded by Musk and eight other co-founders in 2016, is a neurotechnology and brain-machine interface company. The PRIME project, under which this trial falls, aims to develop brain-machine interface technology to assist paralyzed individuals in walking again.
The PRIME project consists of three main components: the NI implant, which is the brain-machine device; the R1 robot, which performs the implantation surgery; and the N1 user application, a software that connects to the N1 and translates brain signals into computer actions.
According to Neuralink, the PRIME study will use the robot to implant "ultra-thin and flexible threads" of the brain-computer interface (BCI) device into the area of the brain that controls movement intent. The device will "record brain signals and wirelessly transmit them to an application that decodes the intended movements," allowing individuals to control computer cursors or keyboards through conscious thought.
Musk has ambitious plans for Neuralink, believing that the company's research can facilitate rapid implantation surgeries for chip devices and eventually help treat mental disorders such as obesity, autism, depression, and schizophrenia.
Since its inception, Neuralink has faced controversy, primarily regarding potential ethical and safety issues in previous trials. This is why it took the company six years to submit its first licensing application to the FDA, which was only approved this year.
Experts suggest that even if BCI devices are proven safe for human use, it may still take over a decade for this startup to obtain commercial approval.