The brain-chip has been successfully implanted. Image: iStock.
The merge of man and machine has begun. Neuralink – an American neurotechnology company owned by South African-born Elon Musk – has confirmed it has officially implanted one of its brain-chips in an actual human being.
Neuralink has joined a small number of tech companies that have already done this.
Musk himself announced the development on his social media platform, X, and reported that the patient was recovering well.
He also confirmed that initial results showed “promising neuron spike detection”.
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The Neuralink site itself explains what the brain-chip does quite perfectly. It asks its visitor to imagine moving the cursor on their screen with their mind.
This is what the brain chip is meant to do. It will allow humans to control their computers with their thoughts alone.
The company explains: “Our brain-computer interface is fully implantable, cosmetically invisible, and designed to let you control a computer or mobile device anywhere you go.”
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It also states that the brain chip is sealed in a protective casing that can handle tough conditions, even harsher than those inside the human body.
The procedure itself is nothing like a scene out of Gey’s Anatomy. Instead, Neuralink says the threads of the brain-chips are so fine that they can’t be inserted by the human hand.
“Our surgical robot has been designed to reliably and efficiently insert these threads exactly where they need to be,” the company explained.
The company encourages the public to register to participate in clinical trials.
Meanwhile, in Switzerland, the École Polytechnique Fédérale recently surgically inserted electronic implants in the brain and spine of a paralysed man which has enabled him to walk by thinking.
Musk is known for his outrageous and impossible project undertakings that push the boundaries. He has also been working on establishing a human community on the planet Mars as part of his company, Space X’s mandate.