Brain Implants for Elon Musk’s Neuralink: Thousands Are Reportedly Lining Up to Have a Portion of Their Skull Removed
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According to a Bloomberg Report, thousands are reportedly lining up for the opportunity to receive a brain implant from Neuralink, the neurotechnology company co-founded by Elon Musk. This enthusiasm persists despite the invasive nature of the procedure, which involves removing a portion of the skull to implant the device.
Neuralink, established in 2016, has ambitious plans to conduct human trials, aiming to operate on 11 individuals next year and expand to over 22,000 by 2030. The company’s goals are not modest; it seeks to forge a new frontier where humans and machines can interact seamlessly, potentially allowing individuals to communicate or control games through thought alone. Initially, however, the focus is on aiding those with neurological conditions.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has greenlit Neuralink to begin human trials, a significant step forward after initial safety concerns. These concerns included the potential for the device’s wires to shift within the brain or for the chip to overheat.
Despite the risks, the allure of being at the forefront of this groundbreaking technology has garnered a wave of interest from potential volunteers. The procedure, which involves a robot inserting electrodes into the brain, represents a significant leap in neurosurgical techniques and raises questions about the future of human-computer interactions.
Musk’s urgency to advance Neuralink’s progress is driven by competition from other brain-computer interface startups already conducting human trials. His approach, characterized by a “maniacal sense of urgency,” mirrors the intense work ethic seen in his other ventures, Tesla and SpaceX. However, Neuralink’s leadership acknowledges the high stakes, emphasizing the need for caution in their pioneering surgical endeavors.
As Neuralink prepares for its first human trial, the world watches with bated breath, anticipating the potential benefits and mindful of the challenges that lie ahead in this bold intersection of technology and biology.
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Featured image: Thousands of people have expressed interest in participating in the FDA trial for Neuralink, Bloomberg reported. Photo byNurPhoto
