Neuralink (the neurotechnology company founded by Elon Musk) is all set to begin recruiting patients to test the safety and efficacy of its implantable brain chip in aiding people control a computer cursor or keyboard solely with their thoughts.

Neuralink founded by Elon Musk has received approval for the company’s first human trial of its brain chip. The neurotechnology company made an announcement on Tuesday that it has obtained approval to begin recruiting patients for testing the brain implant in a study spanning six years focused on paralysis patients.

The clinical trial for the brain implant may involve patients who are paralyzed due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or a neck injury, according to Reuters. The study is primarily meant to test how safe and efficient the implant is in aiding people control a computer cursor or keyboard merely with their thoughts. For the test the researchers will utilise a robot to surgically place the implant in a movement controlling part of the brain.

It has been disclosed that the time span of the study will be six years but exactly how many will be enrolled for the study has not been disclosed by the researchers have. Initial target of the company was to secure approval for implanting its device in 10 patients but it had to scale down post negotiations with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  Safety concerns raised by the FDA led to this scaling down. The exact number of participants approved by the FDA is still unknown.

Earlier, in May, the company made a public announcement that it has obtained FDA approval for its first-in-human clinical trial, but it was in fact already under federal investigation for its handling of animal testing. According to experts, even if the safety of BCI device for human use is endorsed, the startup is unlikely to get approval to sell it commercially at least for a decade.

For the unacquainted, Neuralink is an Elon Musk founded neurotechnology company operational since 2016. The company is goal is to develop an implantable brain-computer interface (BCI) that can translate thoughts into actions. In other words Neuralink’s aim is to develop a BCI meant to control external devices, such as computers or prosthetic limbs, and to restore brain functions lost.

Although Neuralink is still in the nascent stages of development, the company has made some noteworthy progress. In 2020, Neuralink demonstrated a working BCI capable of controlling a computer cursor with a monkey’s brain. The company is presently working on a brain-computer interface (BCI) implantable in humans.  Elon Musk’s ambitious plans for the Neuralink brain chip includes its use to treat conditions such as autism, depression, obesity, and schizophrenia.

Neuralink founded by Elon Musk has received approval for the company’s first human trial of its brain chip. The neurotechnology company made an announcement on Tuesday that it has obtained approval to begin recruiting patients for testing the brain implant in a study spanning six years focused on paralysis patients.

The clinical trial for the brain implant may involve patients who are paralyzed due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or a neck injury, according to Reuters. The study is primarily meant to test how safe and efficient the implant is in aiding people control a computer cursor or keyboard merely with their thoughts. For the test the researchers will utilise a robot to surgically place the implant in a movement controlling part of the brain.

It has been disclosed that the time span of the study will be six years but exactly how many will be enrolled for the study has not been disclosed by the researchers have. Initial target of the company was to secure approval for implanting its device in 10 patients but it had to scale down post negotiations with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  Safety concerns raised by the FDA led to this scaling down. The exact number of participants approved by the FDA is still unknown.

Earlier, in May, the company made a public announcement that it has obtained FDA approval for its first-in-human clinical trial, but it was in fact already under federal investigation for its handling of animal testing. According to experts, even if the safety of BCI device for human use is endorsed, the startup is unlikely to get approval to sell it commercially at least for a decade.

For the unacquainted, Neuralink is an Elon Musk founded neurotechnology company operational since 2016. The company is goal is to develop an implantable brain-computer interface (BCI) that can translate thoughts into actions. In other words Neuralink’s aim is to develop a BCI meant to control external devices, such as computers or prosthetic limbs, and to restore brain functions lost.

Although Neuralink is still in the nascent stages of development, the company has made some noteworthy progress. In 2020, Neuralink demonstrated a working BCI capable of controlling a computer cursor with a monkey’s brain. The company is presently working on a brain-computer interface (BCI) implantable in humans.  Elon Musk’s ambitious plans for the Neuralink brain chip includes its use to treat conditions such as autism, depression, obesity, and schizophrenia.