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(IANS)
As if trying to live up to comparisons to Tony Stark, Elon Musk, the technological mastermind behind some of the smartest rockets and electric cars, has pulled off another mind-blowing feat, literally. Shortly after getting the green light, Musk's brain-computer interface (BCI) company Neuralink successfully implanted the first chip in a human.
First of all, what exactly is Neuralink?
Neuralink and BCI
If things look Black Mirror-esque, that's because they are (and I hope in a good way). Neuralink is taking a page out of his science fiction book, devising technology that creates a seamless connection between the human brain and computers. The current focus of such technology is less on trying to simplify scrolling through social media pages and more on empowering people suffering from paralysis and other forms of physical and cognitive decline.
Neuralink (and many other tech companies, for that matter) is planning to do this via brain implants, where parts of the brain are wired into physical circuits that can be used with the nose when attempting certain tasks. Receive a signal to fire. Apart from the safety of brain transplants, one of the main questions is whether they can accurately pick up neuron signals and consistently decipher what those signals are saying.
Once we can roughly (literally) know what we're thinking in our heads, we can relay those signals to other machines that perform tasks on our behalf. Musk said: “Imagine if Stephen Hawking could communicate faster than a speed typist or an auctioneer. That's the goal.”
Neuralink represents a potential leap into the future, where our thoughts become controllers and we essentially say goodbye to clunky keyboards that slow down great ideas. If you think about it for a moment, your phone will send out the following tweet and your computer will spit out a perfectly crafted email. All this is done at the speed of your super fast brain. That's the dream Neuralink's “telepathic” chip is chasing. Musk explains that the first users of next-generation technology will be people who have lost limb function.
How did the transplant go?
In May of last year, Neuralink was granted permission by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to conduct chip implantation tests in humans. This allows Musk's company to robotically insert 64 tiny threads, thinner than a hair, into the part of the brain that monitors “movement intent.” In the X post, Musk explained that the first subject is recovering well and early measurements are promising.
The experimental implant is the first step in starting a six-year study to assess the viability of the product. The implant contains many parts, including a sensor that detects spikes in brain activity and a battery that can be charged wirelessly (so you don't have to connect your neck to the mainframe like in the Matrix, hmm). The data collected is sent to an app that deciphers how the patient “intended” to move.
Could the privacy of thoughts be threatened?
Of course, it's not all sunshine and ethical concerns dance like shadows around this breakthrough technology. The long-term effects of brain implants are uncharted territory, and as such technology inevitably becomes more commonplace, many wonder how the privacy of an individual's brain data will be protected. But the possibility remains undeniable. Imagine a world where quadriplegics can paint again and creativity flows like a river directly from our neural networks.
How revolutionary is Neuralink really?
Much of Musk's company's notoriety can be attributed to his own controversy, but Neuralink is far from alone in this brain computer arms race. Blackrock Neurotech has been pioneering BCI for decades, and it is reported that its technology is already helping patients grasp objects, move cursors, and play video games using just their thoughts. I am.
Another notable company is Synchron, a brain implant startup backed by Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates. The company uses a minimally invasive approach with its BCI device, which is inserted into the brain through blood vessels. This could eliminate the need for open brain surgery and make it more widely available.
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