Musk: «First human tests of Neuralink, computer-brain interface, in six months»

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Elon Musk’s Neuralink aims to begin inserting his coin-sized computer brain implant into human patients within six months. The announcement was made at an event at the company’s headquarters in Fremont, California on Wednesday night. Musk himself announced that ongoing discussions between Neuralink and the US Food and Drug Administration have gone quite well, and could allow the company to set a target for its first human trials within the next six months.

Brain-computer interface

What is it about? Of a device with wires and electrodes, about the size of a coin, which can be implanted in the human body and “reads” the brain waves, which are then interpreted and translated by an external device and, according to the engineers of the company, born in 2016 , and Musk himself, could help solve some human pathologies. Notably, during the event Musk illustrated that work is mainly on two other products, in addition to the brain-computer interface: an implant that can enter the spinal cord and potentially restore movement in someone suffering from paralysis, and a eye implant intended to improve or restore human vision.

Two other products: connection with the spinal cord and with the visual apparatus

The interface, if we can define it that way, between the spinal cord and the silicon-based digital world, according to Musk, could help those with motor disabilities due to spinal cord injuries. “As miraculous as it may seem, we are hopeful that it is possible to restore full-body function to someone who has a severed spinal cord,” Musk said at the event. The Neuralink product that deals with sight, Musk himself added, could help those with visual impairments or even those who were blind from birth to see again. “Even if they’ve never seen before, we’re hopeful they can see,” Musk himself said.

Communicate with thought

Instead, the goal of the brain-computer interface, known as the brain-computer interface (BCI), is initially to allow a person with a debilitating condition, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or someone suffering the aftermath of a stroke , to communicate with the outside world through one’s thoughts. The company demonstrated the features using a monkey that “telepathically types” on a screen. The Neuralink device in fact translates the neuronal peaks into data that can be interpreted by a computer.

The hope of Musk, who owns Neuralink with a group of other entrepreneurs, is that one day the device will become widespread and allow the transfer of information between humans and machines. Indeed, Musk has long believed that humans can only keep up with the advances made by artificial intelligence with the help of brain enhancements that use digital logic, just like computers.