The age of linking humans to computers is upon us, and no, it isn’t a Black Mirror episode but rather a sci-fi movie turned real life.
Elon Musk has finally accomplished his long-term dream of attaching a computer to a person’s brain with Neuralink, the neurotechnology company he founded in 2016 that developed implantable brain-computer interfaces.
As per Neuralink’s official website, the company describes its product as a “brain-computer interface that is fully implantable, cosmetically invisible, and designed to let you control a computer or mobile device anywhere you go.”
The first human received Elon Musk’s Neuralink brain implant
Image credits: The Royal Society
After controversially testing the system on animals, the billionaire claimed the system has now been trialed on a human.
Taking to his X account on Monday (January 29) (formerly known as Twitter before he bought it for $44 billion), Elon wrote: “The first human received an implant from Neuralink yesterday and is recovering well.
“Initial results show promising neuron spike detection.”
Neuralink, a neurotechnology company founded by Elon in 2016, develops implantable brain-computer interfaces
Image credits: neura.link
Image credits: neura.link
Spikes are activity by neurons, which the National Institute of Health describes as cells that use electrical and chemical signals to send information around the brain and to the body.
In follow-up X posts, the Tesla CEO went on to reveal that his new Neuralink product was called “Telepathy” before further explaining: “[It] enables control of your phone or computer and through them almost any device, just by thinking.
“Initial users will be those who have lost the use of their limbs.”
The implanted product “enables control of your phone or computer and through them almost any device, just by thinking”
Image credits: Neuralink
Image credits: neura.link
The 52-year-old business mogul concluded: “Imagine if Stephen Hawking could communicate faster than a speed typist or auctioneer. That is the goal.”
Neuralink said last year that it had begun recruiting for the first human trials of its technology, The Independent reported. At the time, it suggested it was looking for people who “have quadriplegia due to cervical spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).”
Elon has in the past suggested Neuralink would be able to offer a way for people to integrate virtual reality with their own brains, for instance.
In November 2022, Neuralink shared footage that reportedly showed two monkeys moving computer cursors with their brains
Image credits: neura.link
Since it was created, Neuralink has remained largely secretive about its work. However, it has been revealed that it requires a set of small probes that are inserted into the brain to see neuron activity, which may be done by a specially designed robot, as per The Independent.
Neuralink has also revealed successful tests, including a monkey playing Pong using the system.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had given the company clearance last year to conduct its first trial to test its implant on humans, The Guardian reported.
You can watch a video about Neuralink’s clinical trial below:
Nevertheless, Reuters reported earlier this month that Neuralink was fined for violating US Department of Transportation (DoT) rules regarding the movement of hazardous materials.
During inspections of the company’s facilities in Texas and California, USA, in February 2023, DoT investigators found the company had failed to register itself as a transporter of hazardous material, the agency’s records show.
They also reportedly found improper packaging of hazardous waste, including the flammable liquid Xylene.
Xylene can cause headaches, dizziness, confusion, loss of muscle coordination, and even death, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Many readers thought Telepathy would help people who are disabled
I have next to no faith in this endeavour. Musk has flouted safety in his Tesla plants consistently. He is also a big liar- he has called his Level 2 autonomy in his cars Full Self Driving for about ten years... and it isn't. Those are just two examples- the list is endless. I have no doubt that he wouldn't care about the safety of the test subjects. I just don't trust this asshat any longer...
he's a modern edison. Steals other peoples ideas. talks them up, gets investors and then lives off the corporate welfare. Almost all of the companies he started have failed. He didnt start tesla or spacex. He came in after they were running. boring company was his. I think he's as bad if not worse tan Elizabeth holmes so either she shouldnt be in jail or he should be.
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bro this is literally the backstory to a sci fi villan. some smart dude makes a brain chip and next thing you know, someone is the victim to mind control. hope people dont get this
Honestly this scares the c**p out of me. As with most devastating developments throughout history, they started out as benign and helpful, only to be twisted by those in control. I can see a future where people are forced into this technology. I am glad I am old and that my children are not breeding.
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing, just didn't know how to put it into words. There has been so much technology so fast and every time I see a Sci-Fi movie set in the future, I shudder. If I die naturally, I may have about 30 to 35 years left. I hope that's soon enough.
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I wonder if you become a racist idiot like Musk when you get this implanted.
As soon as I saw "tested on animals" I hated it. How about Elon test it on himself, or another human. Stop using animals for testing strictly human products. Use other humans.
There is a VERY long history of questionable ethics involving human testing in the early stages of drug or procedure development. Would you rather researchers go back to using orphans, prisoners, institutionalized people, homeless or poor and desperate people for experiments?
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AFAIK most monkey used for testing neuralink has died in miserable condition because they not treated properly.
I really hope 2 things. Unfortunately, I think that one is much more likely than the other... (1) this tech progresses and becomes what it can be and helps those who would benefit from it in their lives... (2) the human race uses this tech for those people only (ie for good purposes)... I know, I know, I'm so naive.
Could I interest you in an amazing investment opportunity? 🙃
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OK, I just read a further report that says over 1500 animals were killed bringing this technology to the point of human trials. That's some serious bad juju and I hope the human recipient hasn't had rushed technology pushed through on them. Got a bad vibe about this, shouldn't cost 1500 animals lives to work out the kinks surely? Unless they just didn't care and discarded the subject animals as they finished research on each one? What does that say about the research scientists? What does it say about the funding? Humane treatment of animals not included in costs? Shouldn't be life threatening to implant even if it didn't work right?
If 1500 animals were killed testing this technology, I suspect few were killed by the chip itself, but by loose rules, incompetence, neglect, infection, starvation and trying to satisfy Musk's ego. I heard neuralink was well behind its competitors just a year or so ago. I doubt they overcome that deficiency so quickly. My guess is that Musk lit a fire under the researchers butt and they consequently were lax in procedure and animal compassion, preferring to kill and dispose rather than rehabilitate, as that cost money and it looks bad having 1000 drooling monkeys suffering in some wildlife reserve. I believe there is promise in this technology, but not in Musk's hands. He is going to over-promise and under-deliver as he usually does. I am writing this after getting off the Hyperloop and letting my Tesla drive around autonomously. Not.
Load More Replies... Musk is a moron and I have zero doubts this will be a failure or dangerous to whoever it's implanted in. Don't forget he tried to cover up monkeys dying horrific deaths after being implanted. He should NOT be allowed to do this even with desperate and willing participants, he failed trials with animals, and he thinks it's going to magically work in humans? Everything "he" makes is trash.
I distinctly remember following news segments back in the 90s of both a monkey and a wheelchair bound human moving a mouse on screen or selecting objects with their thoughts. I believe it was accomplished by an external rig, electrodes (lots of those) and some kind of human-machine interface. The point is this isn't new. The implanting of a chip in a brain is new, but implants in general are not. My wife has two of them. She charges them by induction, one works off an Android phone, the other has a dedicated box. Neither are mind controlled, but they are pretty routine devices. I'll have to see much more than a slick device inside someone's noggin before I believe the hype.
Honestly, I think this is great and all, but thousands of animal test subjects died in testing. There is a very real chance of this happening to human test subjects also.
If this even has a glimpse of hope for my brother with Parkinson's, I'm keeping an eye on it.
I'm very curious to know how this could have been implanted in the "first-ever human". Would you like to consider rewording that?
As much as this would be a great invention for people with disabilities I have no faith in Elon Muck. His so full of xit and still hasn't delivered on any of his big promises. He is a board room bully. The only reason he has bought Tweeter is to control and censor negative news about his f****ups
Eight billion people on earth and Eloon [sic] finds the "first-ever human".
I wonder if it ever crossed his mind to be the first to get the implant.
I’m reminded of the old movie The Terminal Man. And that press release sounds like a log you’d find in a SF game just after everything went to hell.
I’m reminded of the old movie The Terminal Man. And that press release reads like a log you’d find in a SF game after s**t has hit the fan.
You should look at the track record on brain implants, not from this but in general. Quite a lot of studies run out of money (company bankrupt, or doesn't seem lucrative enough or outside funding dries up) then the implant HAS to be removed (for safety!) even if it has clear benefits to the user... which is heartbreaking. I think they should only be allowed in a research unit that is "too big to fail" to guarantee continuation.
E.g., MIT Tech Review article https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/05/25/1073634/brain-implant-removed-against-her-will/
Load More Replies... I have next to no faith in this endeavour. Musk has flouted safety in his Tesla plants consistently. He is also a big liar- he has called his Level 2 autonomy in his cars Full Self Driving for about ten years... and it isn't. Those are just two examples- the list is endless. I have no doubt that he wouldn't care about the safety of the test subjects. I just don't trust this asshat any longer...
he's a modern edison. Steals other peoples ideas. talks them up, gets investors and then lives off the corporate welfare. Almost all of the companies he started have failed. He didnt start tesla or spacex. He came in after they were running. boring company was his. I think he's as bad if not worse tan Elizabeth holmes so either she shouldnt be in jail or he should be.
Load More Replies... bro this is literally the backstory to a sci fi villan. some smart dude makes a brain chip and next thing you know, someone is the victim to mind control. hope people dont get this
Honestly this scares the c**p out of me. As with most devastating developments throughout history, they started out as benign and helpful, only to be twisted by those in control. I can see a future where people are forced into this technology. I am glad I am old and that my children are not breeding.
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing, just didn't know how to put it into words. There has been so much technology so fast and every time I see a Sci-Fi movie set in the future, I shudder. If I die naturally, I may have about 30 to 35 years left. I hope that's soon enough.
Load More Replies... I wonder if you become a racist idiot like Musk when you get this implanted.
As soon as I saw "tested on animals" I hated it. How about Elon test it on himself, or another human. Stop using animals for testing strictly human products. Use other humans.
There is a VERY long history of questionable ethics involving human testing in the early stages of drug or procedure development. Would you rather researchers go back to using orphans, prisoners, institutionalized people, homeless or poor and desperate people for experiments?
Load More Replies... AFAIK most monkey used for testing neuralink has died in miserable condition because they not treated properly.
I really hope 2 things. Unfortunately, I think that one is much more likely than the other... (1) this tech progresses and becomes what it can be and helps those who would benefit from it in their lives... (2) the human race uses this tech for those people only (ie for good purposes)... I know, I know, I'm so naive.
Could I interest you in an amazing investment opportunity? 🙃
Load More Replies... OK, I just read a further report that says over 1500 animals were killed bringing this technology to the point of human trials. That's some serious bad juju and I hope the human recipient hasn't had rushed technology pushed through on them. Got a bad vibe about this, shouldn't cost 1500 animals lives to work out the kinks surely? Unless they just didn't care and discarded the subject animals as they finished research on each one? What does that say about the research scientists? What does it say about the funding? Humane treatment of animals not included in costs? Shouldn't be life threatening to implant even if it didn't work right?
If 1500 animals were killed testing this technology, I suspect few were killed by the chip itself, but by loose rules, incompetence, neglect, infection, starvation and trying to satisfy Musk's ego. I heard neuralink was well behind its competitors just a year or so ago. I doubt they overcome that deficiency so quickly. My guess is that Musk lit a fire under the researchers butt and they consequently were lax in procedure and animal compassion, preferring to kill and dispose rather than rehabilitate, as that cost money and it looks bad having 1000 drooling monkeys suffering in some wildlife reserve. I believe there is promise in this technology, but not in Musk's hands. He is going to over-promise and under-deliver as he usually does. I am writing this after getting off the Hyperloop and letting my Tesla drive around autonomously. Not.
Load More Replies... Musk is a moron and I have zero doubts this will be a failure or dangerous to whoever it's implanted in. Don't forget he tried to cover up monkeys dying horrific deaths after being implanted. He should NOT be allowed to do this even with desperate and willing participants, he failed trials with animals, and he thinks it's going to magically work in humans? Everything "he" makes is trash.
I distinctly remember following news segments back in the 90s of both a monkey and a wheelchair bound human moving a mouse on screen or selecting objects with their thoughts. I believe it was accomplished by an external rig, electrodes (lots of those) and some kind of human-machine interface. The point is this isn't new. The implanting of a chip in a brain is new, but implants in general are not. My wife has two of them. She charges them by induction, one works off an Android phone, the other has a dedicated box. Neither are mind controlled, but they are pretty routine devices. I'll have to see much more than a slick device inside someone's noggin before I believe the hype.
Honestly, I think this is great and all, but thousands of animal test subjects died in testing. There is a very real chance of this happening to human test subjects also.
If this even has a glimpse of hope for my brother with Parkinson's, I'm keeping an eye on it.
I'm very curious to know how this could have been implanted in the "first-ever human". Would you like to consider rewording that?
As much as this would be a great invention for people with disabilities I have no faith in Elon Muck. His so full of xit and still hasn't delivered on any of his big promises. He is a board room bully. The only reason he has bought Tweeter is to control and censor negative news about his f****ups
Eight billion people on earth and Eloon [sic] finds the "first-ever human".
I wonder if it ever crossed his mind to be the first to get the implant.
I’m reminded of the old movie The Terminal Man. And that press release sounds like a log you’d find in a SF game just after everything went to hell.
I’m reminded of the old movie The Terminal Man. And that press release reads like a log you’d find in a SF game after s**t has hit the fan.
You should look at the track record on brain implants, not from this but in general. Quite a lot of studies run out of money (company bankrupt, or doesn't seem lucrative enough or outside funding dries up) then the implant HAS to be removed (for safety!) even if it has clear benefits to the user... which is heartbreaking. I think they should only be allowed in a research unit that is "too big to fail" to guarantee continuation.
E.g., MIT Tech Review article https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/05/25/1073634/brain-implant-removed-against-her-will/
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