According to Elon Musk, the founder of Neuralink, a patient who received the company’s brain technology implant can now operate a computer mouse solely through thought.
In a Spaces session on X, Musk stated, “(The) patient seems to have made a full recovery with no ill effects that we are aware of and is able to control the mouse, move the mouse around the screen just by thinking.”
Neuralink, a startup founded by Musk, claims to have developed a brain implant aimed at enabling humans to utilize their neural signals to control external devices. Its overarching goal is to restore functionalities such as vision, motor skills, and speech.
At the time of reporting, Neuralink had not provided a comment. The first implantation of Neuralink’s device in a human occurred in January, facilitated by a robot for precise brain implantation.
Musk, who also serves as the CEO of Tesla, emphasized Neuralink’s endeavor to maximize “button presses” through thought by the patient, including tasks like moving the computer mouse vertically to manipulate boxes on the screen.
Neuralink initiated the recruitment of patients for its inaugural in-human clinical trial in autumn, following FDA approval granted in May, as mentioned in a blog post.
This in-human clinical trial represents a significant milestone in Neuralink’s progression towards commercialization. Prior to FDA final approval, medical device companies must undergo rigorous rounds of data collection and safety testing.
