New Delhi: Elon Musk’s billionaire brain-chip business, Neuralink, has been given approval to begin its first human study. The clinical research will concentrate on individuals who have cervical spinal cord injuries or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-related paralysis. Despite the fact that the precise number of competitors is yet unknown, the announcement was made on September 19.
According to reports, people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or neck injuries who are paralyzed may participate in the clinical study for a brain implant. The purpose of the research is to evaluate the implant’s effectiveness and safety in enabling users to mentally manipulate a computer mouse or keyboard. The researchers will do this by surgically implanting the device in a region of the brain that regulates movement using a robot.
The study will take around six years to complete, and the number of participants has not yet been made public by the researchers. The business, however, has previously sought clearance for implanting its gadget in 10 people. However, present and former workers claim that following discussions between the business and the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the FDA’s safety concerns led to a reduction in the intended number of patients. It is yet unknown how many patients the FDA has authorized.
A decade or more may pass before the Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) implant is approved for commercial use, according to experts who have weighed in on the startup’s timeframe, according to Reuters.
Musk’s long-term plan for Neuralink extends beyond the cure of paralysis. The entrepreneur has grand ideas that include the quick surgical implantation of chip devices to treat a variety of illnesses, such as obesity, autism, depression, and schizophrenia.
The Food and Drug Administration turned down the company’s request for expedited human trials last year, but in May, they granted Neuralink an IDE, or experimental device exemption, which permits the use of a device in clinical investigations. The agency is keeping quiet about how its first worries were addressed.
Despite being in its early phases of development, Neuralink has achieved some notable strides. A functional BCI that may be used to direct a computer cursor with a monkey’s thoughts was shown by Neuralink in 2020. The business is now developing a BCI that can be implanted in people.
Elon Musk, meantime, has grand aspirations for the Neuralink brain processor. According to the billionaire, it might be used to swiftly implant chip devices for the treatment of ailments like obesity, autism, melancholy, and schizophrenia.
One of the businesses creating a brain-computer interface (BCI) that can gather and examine brain signals is Neuralink. Neuroscientists and other specialists have expressed scepticism and ethical issues in response to the company’s billionaire executive’s bombastic advertising of the business, which included pledges to create a comprehensive brain-computer to help humans stay up with artificial intelligence.
Elon Musk, founder of the neurotechnology business Neuralink in 2016. The company’s main objective is to create an implanted brain-computer interface (BCI) that can convert ideas into deeds. In other words, Neuralink wants to create a BCI that can be used to replace lost brain functions and control outside objects like computers or prosthetic limbs.
