Neuralink, an Elon Musk company that Reuters claimed is under federal investigation for its use of animals in animal testing, has been working to create a brain chip that would allow the blind to see and the paralysed to walk.
Neuralink, a company founded in 2016 by Elon Musk and a group of engineers, is developing a brain chip interface that can be implanted inside the skull. The company claims that this interface will eventually allow disabled people to move and communicate again and will also help to restore vision.
The device from Neuralink has a chip that processes and transmits neural signals that could be sent to gadgets like a phone or a computer.
The business envisions a day when someone could use their thoughts to operate a mouse, keyboard, or other computer features like text messaging.
Musk claimed in April 2021 that “the first @Neuralink product will allow someone with paralysis to use a smartphone with their mind faster than someone using thumbs.”
Eventually, according to Neuralink, its product will be able to revive neural activity within the body, enabling people with spinal cord injuries to move their limbs. The company, which has offices in San Francisco and Austin, also aims to treat neurological diseases
Neuralink has provided numerous examples of successfully testing various aspects of its technology on animals, including a video from 2021 that showed a macaque playing a straightforward videogame after receiving a brain chip implant. The company demonstrated enhancements to the chip’s speed and capabilities in a presentation webcast last week.
Contrary to competitor Synchron, which has less aspirational goals for its medical advancements, Neuralink has not yet obtained U.S. regulatory approval to proceed to human trials. Neuralink applied to the Food and Drug Administration this year in order to start human trials despite missing Musk’s publicly stated deadlines. Last week, Musk stated that in his opinion, Neuralink can begin human clinical trials in six months.
