World’s 1st Brain-Chip Implant in Human Patient by Elon Musk’s Neuralink

Billionaire Elon Musk’s company, Neuralink succeeded in implanting a brain-chip in the brain of a human patient, for the first time in the world. An implant from brain-chip startup Neuralink on Sunday was implanted in a human patient, who is recovering well, said Elon Musk.

“Initial results show promising neuron spike detection,” Musk said in a post on social media platform X on Monday.

Spikes are activity by neurons, which is described as cells that use electrical and chemical signals to send information around the brain and to the body.

The US Food and Drug Administration permitted the Neuralink in 2023 to conduct its first trial to test its implant on humans. In September, Neuralink said it received approval for recruitment for the human trial for paralysis patients.

The study uses a robot to surgically place a brain-computer interface (BCI) implant in a region of the brain that controls the intention to move, Neuralink said. The aim of this project is to enable people to control a computer cursor or keyboard using their thoughts.

The implants’ “ultra-fine” threads help transmit signals in participants’ brains, Neuralink has said.

This first implant of Neuralink would be called Telepathy, Musk said in a separate post on X.

In June 2023, the Neuralink was valued at about $5 billion.