Elon Musk’s Neuralink implants brain chip in first human

Neuralink’s billionaire founder Elon Musk said that the first human patient has received an implant from his brain-chip startup on Sunday and is recovering well. Musk said in a post on social media platform X that “initial results show promising neuron spike detection”.

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.

The company received clearance last year from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 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 previously. It added thatt its initial goal is to enable people to control a computer cursor or keyboard using their thoughts alone.

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

Musk said in a separate post on X that the first product from Neuralink would be called Telepathy.

The company has faced calls for scrutiny regarding its safety protocols. Neuralink was also fined for violating U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) rules regarding the movement of hazardous materials.