▎WuXiEdited by the Kant Content Team

Recently, Mr. Elon Musk, founder of Neuralink, announced during a Spaces event on the social media platform X that the first human patient implanted with the Neuralink brain chip appears to have fully recovered and is able to control a computer mouse using only his thoughts.

“Progress is favorable; the patient appears to have fully recovered, with no known adverse effects observed. The patient can move the cursor on the screen simply by thinking.“According to Reuters, Musk said so.”

Neuralink was founded by Mr. Musk in 2016, with the goal of implanting small chips into the human brain to help patients with unmet medical needs gain the ability to live independently. Musk also stated in a tweet that,This product was initially targeted at patients with limb immobility.

In 2022, at Neuralink's press conference, Mr. Musk demonstrated a monkey capable of typing via thought control.A tiny brain-computer interface chip, embedded with electrodes and sensors, was implanted into the monkey’s brain. By interpreting the monkey’s brainwaves, the chip converts electrical signals into computer commands, enabling the monkey to select English letters displayed on a screen through thought alone, thereby completing typing tasks.

Image source: Reference [3]

Last May, Neuralink received FDA approval.Initiate Human Clinical Trials, evaluating the ability of its wireless brain-computer interface, named N1, to help paralyzed patients control peripheral devices with their thoughts. This clinical trial, named PRIME, will simultaneously evaluate three of the company’s investigational products. It will utilize a robot named R1 to implant the N1 brain-computer interface into the region of the patient’s brain that controls motor intention. The N1 implant contains 64 threads thinner than a human hair, which collectively house 1,024 electrodes. It is capable of recording electrical activity in brain regions and wirelessly transmitting information to external devices. Combined with the brain-computer interface software named the N1 User App, paralyzed individuals are expected to use their thoughts to manipulate external devices, such as moving a computer cursor or operating a smartphone. In late January this year, MuskAnnouncementBrain-Computer Interface Chip Implanted into Human Brain for the First Time。

Mr. Musk also stated that the company'sThe ultimate goal is to restore sight to the blind and enable the paralyzed to walk again through brain-computer interfaces.These goals, which once sounded somewhat science-fictional, are no longer out of reach thanks to the continuous advancements in brain-computer interface technology. A study published last year in Nature described how a research team at ETH Zurich enabled paralyzed patients to useNatural Gait via Brain-Computer Interfacecases. Brain-computer interfaces have also enabled stroke patientsSpeak with your mind, and the speed approaches that of natural conversation. This year, Nature magazine listed brain-computer interfaces as one of the notable developments to watch in 2024.7 Major Technologiesone. We look forward to the continuous advancement of this technology benefiting more patients.

Trending Now

▲To learn more about the application of cutting-edge technologies in the biopharmaceutical industry, please long-press and scan the QR code above to access “WuXi Live” and watch live discussions and featured replays on related topics.