Neuralink’s first human implant shows promising results

Neuralink, the brain-chip startup founded by Elon Musk, has successfully implanted a brain chip in a human patient who has fully recovered. Elon Musk shared this development during a social media event, revealing that the patient can now control a computer mouse using their thoughts. While the patient’s complete recovery was mentioned, specific details about the neural effects were not provided. This breakthrough marks a significant advancement in neurotechnology, allowing individuals to interact directly with computers and technology using their thoughts.

Neuralink has faced scrutiny regarding safety protocols, and recent reports indicate that the company received fines for violating transportation rules established by the U.S. Department of Transportation for the movement of hazardous materials.

This development follows previous news where Neuralink announced they were granted Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorisation to begin clinical trials. Neuralink’s long-term goals include treating various medical conditions ranging from mobility impairments due to paralysis to psychiatric disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Huntington’s Disease, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, chronic pain syndromes, addiction, eating disorders, sleep disturbances etc.

How does Neuralink’s brain-computer interface work?

Neuralink’s brain-computer interface (BCI) operates based on principles of capturing and interpreting electrical signals produced by the brain’s neuronal activity.

1. Implant: The core element of Neuralink’s technology is a thin microchip placed beneath the skull. From here, thousands of highly delicate wires—called threads—fan out into distinct regions of the brain responsible for particular tasks like voluntary movements.
2. Threads and electrodes: These thread-like structures contain numerous miniature electrodes that capture voltage fluctuations caused by firing neurons. They measure subtle variations in electric charges associated with individual neurons communicating.
3. Recording signals: When the brain generates impulses related to intended actions, these patterns are recorded by the electrodes along the threads.
4. Signal processing: Custom low-powered electronic components inside the implant translate raw signal data into meaningful representations understood by external computing equipment.
5. Wireless transmission: Data collected by the implant is transmitted wirelessly to nearby hardware, typically worn externally, which converts the encoded instructions into desired outputs – e.g., moving a computer cursor.
6. Machine learning integration: Machine learning models analyse large volumes of processed neural data to discern intentional behaviours versus background noise, improving accuracy and responsiveness over time.

In essence, Neuralink seeks to establish two-way communication between the brain and external devices, facilitating both receiving inputs and sending output commands directly linked to intentions rather than requiring explicit muscle activation.