The first human patient received an implant from Elon Musk’s Neuralink on Sunday and is recovering well, the head of SpaceX and Tesla reported.
Initial results show promising neuron spike detection.
The National Institute of Health describes spikes as cells that use electrical and chemical signals to send information throughout the brain and body.
Last year, The US Food and Drug Administration authorised the company to conduct the first human trial of the implant, marking an important milestone in helping patients overcome paralysis and multiple neurological conditions. In September, Neuralink announced that it had received approval to recruit participants for human trials.
The company is using a robot to surgically insert a brain-computer interface (BCI) implant into the area of the brain responsible for movement, Neuralink informs. Initially, the company planned to make it possible for people to control a computer cursor or keyboard with their thoughts.
Neuralink’s first product will be called Telepathy, Musk revealed in a separate post on X.
The company has faced calls for an audit of its safety protocols. Earlier this year, it was reported that Neuralink had been fined for violating US Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations regarding the transport of hazardous materials.
The company was valued at around $5 billion last June. In late November, four lawmakers asked the US Securities and Exchange Commission to review Musk’s claims about the safety of his new technology after veterinary reports had revealed that problems with the implants in monkeys included paralysis, seizures and brain swelling.
Musk posted in a social media September 10 that “no monkey has died as a result of a Neuralink implant,” adding that the company has chosen “terminal” monkeys to minimise the risk to healthy ones.
