Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk announced that his company Neuralink has successfully inserted a wireless brain chip into a human.
Sharing the news on X, previously known as Twitter, Musk mentioned that the surgery showed “promising” brain signals and the patient is making a good recovery.
Neuralink’s ambition is to merge human cognition with computer technology to address intricate neurological disorders, a field where several competitors have already made similar advancements.
Professor Anne Vanhoestenberghe from King’s College London noted that this first human trial marks a crucial achievement for any medical device maker.
She pointed out that Neuralink is now among a select group of companies that have managed to test their brain implants in humans. However, she cautioned that the true measure of success would be determined over time.
She also remarked on Musk’s knack for attracting attention to his ventures.
Among the other entities that have made comparable progress is the École Polytechnique Fédérale in Lausanne, Switzerland, which enabled a paralyzed individual to walk using thought-controlled electronic implants connected to his brain and spine. This development was documented in the scientific journal Nature in May 2023.
As of now, there has been no third-party confirmation of Musk’s assertion, and Neuralink has not disclosed further details about the said procedure.