SCIENCE – Elon Musk has revealed a patient has become the first human to have a Neuralink microchip implanted into their brain.
The billionaire said on Monday night his startup Neuralink had successfully performed a craniectomy to attach the device in the unnamed person on Sunday.
About the Product, Telepathy
He announced the product – called ‘Telepathy’ – and he hopes it will allow users with disabilities like Stephen Hawking to ‘communicate faster than an auctioneer’.
Musk said it will ‘enable control of your phone or computer, and through them almost any device, just by thinking’.
FDA Clearance
It comes less than a year after Neuralink got Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance to operate on humans, a critical milestone for the startup.
Musk wrote on X on Monday night: ‘The first human received an implant from @Neuralink yesterday and is recovering well. Initial results show promising neuron spike detection.’
Goal They Want to Achieve
He said the device ‘enables control of your phone or computer, and through them almost any device, just by thinking.’
He added: ‘Initial users will be those who have lost the use of their limbs. Imagine if Stephen Hawking could communicate faster than a speed typist or auctioneer. That is the goal.’
The company aims to implant microchips into the brains of paralyzed people, and allow them to move their bodies using their thoughts.
