Elon Musk’s Neuralink performs first human brain implant

Is this the first step in a symbiotic link between humans and technology? Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk confirmed the Neuralink brain chip has been implanted in a human’s brain for the first time.

Musk made the announcement with a post on X (Twitter) – a platform he now owns.

He said: “The first human received an implant from Neuralink yesterday and is recovering well. Initial results show promising neuron spike detection.”

The Neuralink product is called Telepathy.

The first human received an implant from @Neuralink yesterday and is recovering well.

Initial results show promising neuron spike detection.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 29, 2024

The idea, according to Musk is to provide control of our smartphones, computers and other devices with our thoughts.

But the other applications can offer life-changing control for people suffering disabilities and neurological conditions.

It will also make it possible for patients with quadriplegia and paraplegia to connect and control smart devices with their brain waves when they can’t physically touch or control the device any other way.

Neuralink was founded by Musk in 2016 with a mission to “create a generalised brain interface to restore autonomy to those with unmet medical needs today and unlock human potential tomorrow” according to the company’s website.

The brain computer interface is contained within an implant that’s about the size of a stack of five coins which was surgically inserted into a human for the first time.

The implant has custom low-power chips and electronics that can process neural signals before transmitting them to a Neuralink application which can then decode that information into actions.

Neuralink was given permission to go ahead with the surgical procedure by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

A purpose-built robot was used to perform the surgery which placed 64 flexible threads which are thinner than a human hair on to a section of the brain which is used to control movement.

This allows the implant to record and transmit brain signals.

Neuralink will conduct trials with patients with spinal cord injuries and other neurological conditions.