Elon Musk, co-founder of Neuralink, recently announced that his company is ready to take another step forward in neurotechnology research.
Another patient will soon receive the company’s innovative brain chip. The news comes after the first trial hit some snags, With the device partially detached from the first participant’s brain, Musk revealed changes to the surgical procedure. And put the device in place to prevent similar problems from occurring in the future.
The Neuralink device represents an advanced frontier in the field of brain-computer interfaces (BCI). Designed to be inserted into the skull, this small device features flexible wires thinner than a human hair that extend into brain tissue. And capture nerve impulses. The company’s first product aims to allow paralyzed people to control external devices simply with their thoughts. Additionally, Musk mentioned developing a second product that aims to partially restore sight to blind people.
First experiment and its results
Noland Arbaugh was the first human to receive a brain implant from Neuralink. After the surgery, Arbo was able to move a cursor on the screen using only his mind, opening up new possibilities for browsing the Internet and using email. However, a few weeks after the intervention, problems arose in the system that required corrective action by the company.
In response to the problems encountered with the first implant, Neuralink made significant improvements to both the algorithm and the surgical procedure. The goal is to reduce future complications by improving the stability of the implant itself through better management of the space under the implant. And greater depth to insert the wires into the brain tissue.
With lessons learned from the first trial, Neuralink is now preparing to expand its research by including additional participants in its clinical trials. Musk’s stated ambition is to implant the device in about a dozen patients this year. Moreover, it is already working on a new generation of the device that promises to double the transmission capacity thanks to the increase in the number of wires and electrodes.
These innovations represent not only technological advances, but also tangible hope for many people with severe disabilities or limiting medical conditions. With each new trial participant and each technology update implemented in its Brain Interface (BCI) devices, Neuralink It is getting closer and closer to its ultimate goal: creating a symbiosis between human and digital intelligence capable of overcoming the current limits of neuromedicine.
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