Neuralink, a tech company co-founded by Musk, aspires to a remarkable excursion into the brain as well. The business revealed two weeks ago that it had received permission from the Food and Drug Administration to start human implant studies for brain chips.
Investors aren’t deterred by the fact that it might be years before many patients receive the Neuralink treatment.
Neuralink Ventures into Brain
Investors will pay greater attention when Neuralink’s use cases and execution are validated, according to Daniel Ives, an analyst with Wedbush Securities. “The valuation has increased dramatically over the last several years in the private markets,” he added.
Because Musk has a track record of success with companies like Tesla and SpaceX, Neuralink will be watched closely by the tech industry in the years to come.
With human testing, Neuralink hopes to ultimately allow paralyzed individuals to operate a computer or phone only with their brain activity.
The Neuralink 1 implant is essentially a device the size of a huge coin that houses numerous processors, a wireless battery, and other electronics.
The implant has a number of dozens of incredibly thin strands that extend into the brain. A brain-computer interface (BCI), which enables a person to, for example, manipulate an on-screen cursor or move a robotic limb, receives signals from the implant through Bluetooth and decodes them.
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What is the true function of the brain chip?
Neuralink’s long-term objectives involve helping paralyzed people regain full mobility and sight in addition to assisting them in communicating without the use of a keyboard.
To embed the implant and its 64 ultra-thin, flexibly linked threads, which are adorned with 1,024 electrodes that record nerve activity, Neuralink has developed a surgical robot.
On May 25, Neuralink tweeted about receiving FDA approval to begin its first clinical investigation involving humans.
The accomplishment, according to the business, represents a critical initial step that will one day allow our technology to help countless individuals.
For our clinical trial, recruitment is not yet open; we’ll let you know when it is.
Regulators are also looking into Neuralink’s research practices, including how animals are treated (rats, mice, sheep, pigs, and monkeys have all been used in research), and whether the company improperly and dangerously packed and shipped chips that were taken from monkeys’ brains and contaminated with infectious, harmful pathogens, according to Reuters.
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