Elon Musk hopes to implant computers into human brains by next year
Elon Musk's company Neuralink Corp. on Wednesday announced its goal to begin testing a computing brain implant on human patients within the next six months, Bloomberg reports.
Neuralink has been working to refine the coin-sized computer chip, along with a robot that will carve through the skull and surgically implant the device into the brain. Musk said that ongoing communication with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been successful enough for the company to set a six-month target for their first human trials, per Bloomberg.
The company's primary goal for the brain-computer interface is to help a person with physically-limiting conditions communicate their thoughts. The device translates spikes in neuron activity into data that computers can interpret. Neuralink demonstrated the device's capabilities at a public presentation in 2021, where a monkey with the implant played a video game telepathically.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Musk launched the company in 2016 with hopes of developing a brain chip that could control electronic devices and eventually help patients with paralysis move again. At the Wednesday event, he announced that Neuralink recently started developing spinal cord and ocular implants. He is confident these devices will eventually reverse paralysis and blindness.
"As miraculous as that may sound, we are confident that it is possible to restore full-body functionality to someone who has a severed spinal cord," Musk said at Neuralink headquarters. In regards to the company's venture into vision, he added that "even if they have never seen before, we are confident they could see."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Theara Coleman has worked as a staff writer at The Week since September 2022. She frequently writes about technology, education, literature and general news. She was previously a contributing writer and assistant editor at Honeysuckle Magazine, where she covered racial politics and cannabis industry news.
-
Today's political cartoons - December 22, 2024
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - the long and short of it, trigger finger, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 hilariously spirited cartoons about the spirit of Christmas
Cartoons Artists take on excuses, pardons, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Inside the house of Assad
The Explainer Bashar al-Assad and his father, Hafez, ruled Syria for more than half a century but how did one family achieve and maintain power?
By The Week UK Published
-
David Sacks: the conservative investor who will be Trump's crypto and AI czar
In the Spotlight Trump appoints another wealthy ally to oversee two growing — and controversial — industries
By David Faris Published
-
Judge rejects Elon Musk's $56B pay package again
Speed Read Judge Kathaleen McCormick upheld her rejection of the Tesla CEO's unprecedented compensation deal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
DOJ seeks breakup of Google, Chrome
Speed Read The Justice Department aims to force Google to sell off Chrome and make other changes to rectify its illegal search monopoly
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Bluesky: the social media platform causing a mass X-odus
The Explainer Social media platform is enjoying a new influx but can it usurp big rivals?
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
What Trump's win could mean for Big Tech
Talking Points The tech industry is bracing itself for Trump's second administration
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Racist texts tell Black people in US to prepare for slavery
Speed Read Recipients in at least a dozen states have been told to prepare to 'pick cotton' on slave plantations
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Australia proposes social media ban before age 16
Speed Read Australia proposes social media ban before age 16
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
FTC bans fake online product reviews
Speed Read The agency will enforce fines of up to $51,744 per violation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published