Telepathy: Neuralink’s First Product Decodes Your Thoughts
Imagine being able to control your phone, computer, or even your car with just your mind. Sounds like science fiction, right? Well, not anymore. Elon Musk’s company, Neuralink, has implanted its first wireless brain chip in a human. The chip is called Telepathy.
Neuralink’s Telepathy device is a groundbreaking achievement in the field of neurotechnology. It is a brain-computer interface that connects the human brain with external devices. The device aims to help people with severe paralysis regain control over external technologies. By using only neural signals, it has the potential to restore their ability to communicate and interact with the world.
How does it work?
The Telepathy device is a tiny chip, about the size of a small coin, that is surgically implanted into the brain. The device reads and sends brain signals. Users can use their thoughts to control outside devices. The device is wireless and can be charged through an induction coil.
The device is connected to a series of thin, flexible electrodes, called threads, that are inserted into the brain tissue. These threads are able to detect the electrical activity of neurons, which are the cells that transmit information in the brain. By decoding these neural signals, the device can interpret the user’s intentions and commands, and send them to the external device.
Who is the first human recipient?
Neuralink has not revealed who received the Telepathy device first. They say it’s because of privacy and ethical reasons. However, Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of Neuralink, has shared some details about the patient and the procedure.
Musk said the patient has severe paralysis from a degenerative disease. The disease could be amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or a spinal cord injury. The patient had a craniectomy, a surgery where a section of the skull is removed to reach the brain. The patient is reported to be recovering well and showing promising initial results.
Musk said the patient can control a phone and a computer by thinking. The device can detect neuron spikes, which indicate neural activity. Musk hinted the device could enable other functionalities, like controlling a car or a prosthetic limb, in the future.
What is the clinical trial?
The first human implant of the Telepathy device is part of a clinical trial that Neuralink began recruiting patients for in the fall of 2023. The trial is designed to check if the device is safe and effective for individuals experiencing severe paralysis. It also aims to gather information on how well it works and its results.
The FDA gave approval to the trial in May 2023. Neuralink showed that the device works in animal experiments. This allowed them to conduct the study. The trial is expected to enroll up to 10 patients, who will receive the device and undergo regular follow-ups and assessments.
The clinical trial is just one step on Neuralink’s path toward commercialization. Medical device companies must collect and test data to ensure safety. They need to go through multiple rounds of this process. After that, they can get final approval from the FDA. Neuralink wants to make the device available to everyone who wants to improve their thinking or treat neurological disorders.
What are the future implications?
Neuralink’s achievement is impressive. It has the potential to change the lives of many people with paralysis or other neurological conditions. The Telepathy device allows direct communication between the brain and external devices. This could help users communicate, learn, work, play, and socialize better.
But the technology also raises ethical and social questions. The user’s data is at risk of being compromised, and their privacy and security are important concerns. There is also the possibility of hacking or manipulation. Using the device too much could cause social and economic problems. It could lead to inequality and affect how the user sees themselves.
Neuralink knows these challenges. It is committed to keeping its users and society safe. The company wants feedback and collaboration from scientists, doctors, and the public. They want to develop and use the technology responsibly and ethically.
Neuralink implanted the Telepathy device in a human. This could change neurotechnology and brain-computer interfaces. It is the start of a journey. Elon Musk said, “It might sound strange, but in the end, we will have a partnership with artificial intelligence.” This is not a mandatory thing. This is a thing you can choose to have if you want. This is something that I think will be really important on a civilization-level scale.”