Elon Musk’s Neuralink company has announced that it has successfully implanted a chip on a human volunteer, who is now able to control a computer with his mind. The volunteer, who wishes to remain anonymous, is a 35-year-old software engineer who suffered a spinal cord injury in a car accident.
He agreed to participate in the experimental procedure, which involved inserting a thin wire with electrodes into his brain through a small hole in his skull. The wire connects to a wireless device behind his ear, which communicates with a computer via Bluetooth.
The chip, which is about the size of a coin, is designed to record and stimulate neural activity in the motor cortex, the part of the brain that controls movement. By using a special app on his smartphone, the volunteer can calibrate the chip to map his thoughts to specific actions on the computer.
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For example, he can think of moving a cursor, typing a word, or clicking a button, and the computer will execute the command. He can also adjust the sensitivity and speed of the chip according to his preference.
The volunteer said that he is amazed by the technology and that it has given him a new sense of freedom and independence. He said that he can now do things that he thought were impossible after his injury, such as browsing the internet, playing games, and writing emails. He also hopes that the chip will eventually help him regain some of his physical functions, such as walking and using his hands.
Neuralink, which was founded by Elon Musk in 2016, aims to create a brain-computer interface that can enhance human capabilities and treat neurological disorders. The company claims that its chip is safe, reversible, and minimally invasive, and that it can potentially support thousands of electrodes to interface with different parts of the brain.
The company also plans to conduct more trials with human volunteers in the future, and to expand its applications to other domains, such as vision, hearing, and memory.
Musk said that he is proud of the achievement and that he believes that Neuralink will revolutionize the field of neuroscience and artificial intelligence. He said that he envisions a future where humans can merge with machines and access unlimited information and abilities. He also said that he hopes that Neuralink will help humanity overcome its limitations and challenges and create a better world for everyone.
However, implanting a chip in the brain is not without risks. According to some experts, there are potential complications and side effects that could arise from the procedure, such as infection, bleeding, inflammation, scarring, or damage to the surrounding brain tissue.
There are also ethical and social concerns about the privacy and security of the data collected by the chip, as well as the possible implications for human identity and autonomy. Some critics argue that Neuralink could create a new form of inequality and discrimination between those who have access to the technology and those who do not.