Neuralink, Elon Musk’s brain science startup has shared an update about its first human patient playing chess only by thinking.
In the video released by Neuralink on microblogging platform X, 29-year-old Noland Arbaugh, a quadriplegic patient (paralysed below shoulders), the first patient to take Neuralink chip was shown controlling a computer system through thinking only. Fascinating, right?
Elon Musk, also, shared the video with a caption: “Livestream of @Neuralink demonstrating “Telepathy” – controlling a computer and playing video games just by thinking.”
But, what is exactly the technology behind Neuralink? Let's find out.
Back in 2016, Elon Musk founded brain-chip startup named Neuralink.
As per the website, Neuralink has a mission “To create a generalised brain interface to restore autonomy to those with unmet medical needs and unlock human potential.”
Simply, the company wants to enable normal people to control a computer cursor or even the keyboard using their thoughts only.
Let's understand how the system works for brain chip. The underlying technology for Neuralink is similar to electrophysiology, which is a common process to analyse abnormal heart rate.
The brain chip is nothing but a small coin-sized device which is surgically implanted in patient’s skull. Through ultra-thin wires going into the brain, it leads to generation of a brain-computer interface (BCI). “Each wire contains sensors capable of recording and emitting electrical currents that are so fine and flexible that they can’t be inserted by the human hand,” according to Neuralink’s website.
The small disk registers the brain activity and send the signals to a device, such as smartphone, via common Bluetooth connection. According to Neauralink: “Planting the chip in the part of the brain that controls motor function would also enable people to overcome neurological disorders.”
The implant itself is known as ‘the Link.’
Meanwhile, a Pakistani-born Canadian neuro-scientist named Naweed I. Syed was the first person to connect brain cells to a silicon chip, developing the first neurochip in the world.
This wonderful technology can help people improving their memory, focus, and attention by allowing them to properly train their brain using real-time biofeedback data assisted with other advanced techniques. In Musk’s words, the Link is a sort of “Fitbit in your skull” with “all the sensors you’d expect to see in a smartwatch.”
As of now, the researchers believe that, Neuralink can be a game changer for paralyzed patients by restoring little bit mobility. It can also be improve communication among non-verbal people. Further, it can be beneficial against complex neurological problems like bipolar disorder, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or Parkinson’s disease. Moreover, enhancing cognitive ability is the ultimate aim of the company.
With such promising results within two months of implant in a quadriplegic patient people are becoming curious about the overall cost. Neuralink is yet to announce the pricing for this implant. However, Bloomberg has estimated the cost of this implant to be around $10,500. The report further suggests that the insurance companies would end up being charged approximately $40,000 for the whole procedure in the USA.
— Neuralink (@neuralink) March 20, 2024
According to the Neuralink website, “the clinical trial is open for recruitment.” Earlier, this neural implant has been tested on mice, rats, monkeys, pigs, and sheep which has shown promising results.
