The first human implanted with a brain chip from Elon Musk’s neurotechnology company has recuperated and can maneuver a computer mouse with thought alone, the tech billionaire publicized on Monday. It is just a brief insight into the firm’s progress as it works towards refurbishing lost capabilities like movement and sight and augmenting others like memory and intelligence.

KEY FACTS

• The first human receiver of a Neuralink brain chip implant seems to have made a full recovery from the January process, Musk stated in an X Spaces event hosted by a journalist (Katherine Brodsky) late on Monday.
• The surgery, assisted by Neuralink’s surgical robot, marked a breakthrough for the company and its efforts to directly link brains to computers after it received go-ahead in September to recruit patients to test the device’s capability to help people with paralysis regain lost functions by controlling computers merely with thought.
• “Progress is good,” the billionaire said, adding that the recipient is suffering “no ill effects” the company is aware of.
• The patient is now able to “move the mouse around a screen just by thinking,” Musk said.
• Neuralink is “trying to get as many button presses as possible from thinking,” Musk said, stating that multiple activities like holding a button while moving a mouse can be vital to unlocking different actions on a computer.
• Musk said Neuralink ultimately wants to “have more than just 2 buttons” and is attempting to make progress on that front, which he pronounced as “looking very good” overall.

WHEN CAN I GET IMPLANTED A NEURALINK BRAIN CHIP?

Neuralink’s brain chip is still in the initial stages of testing and development and eventuality of it becoming widely deployed equipment to “read” brains and control computers is many years away. Neuralink’s first offerings will be aimed at restoring lost functions in people with paralysis or vision deficiencies, Musk has previously stated. The billionaire said Neuralink’s first offferings will include “Telepathy,” which would enable users to control a phone or computer “just by thinking,” a feature this particular clinical trial is partly designed to test, as well as features that could refurbish sight to blind people but Musk states the technology is also meant to be used widely to enhance memory and raise intelligence.

Robot is used to surgically implant brain chip in the brain

The clinical study uses a robot to surgically place a brain-computer interface (BCI) implant in an area of the brain that controls the intent to move, Neuralink has said, adding that the initial objective is to enable people to control a computer cursor or keyboard using their thoughts. Musk stated that Neuralink was now attempting to get as many mouse button clicks as possible from the patient. Musk has set goals like treating conditions like depression, obesity, autism, and schizophrenia using Neuralink’s products.