Neuralink founder, Elon Musk, announced on Monday that the first human patient implanted with a brain-chip from the company has fully recovered and can control a computer mouse with their thoughts.
Musk shared this update during a Spaces event on the social media platform X, stating, “Progress is good, and the patient seems to have made a full recovery, with no ill effects that we are aware of. The patient is able to move a mouse around the screen by just thinking.”
Neuralink is currently focused on maximizing the patient’s ability to click the mouse buttons through thought control. The startup, founded by Musk, achieved a successful brain-chip implantation in its first human patient last month after gaining approval for human trial recruitment in September.
The procedure involves using a robot to surgically place a brain-computer interface implant in a specific brain region responsible for controlling movement intentions. Neuralink aims to enable individuals to control a computer cursor or keyboard using their thoughts.
Elon Musk envisions broader applications for Neuralink, foreseeing its use in facilitating rapid surgical insertions of chip devices to address conditions such as obesity, autism, depression, and schizophrenia.
Despite its ambitious goals, Neuralink has faced scrutiny regarding safety protocols, with recent reports indicating fines for violating U.S. Department of Transportation rules on hazardous material movement.
