First human patient of Elon Musk’s Neuralink gets brain implant

On Sunday, the brain-chip startup Neuralink implanted its first device in a human patient, and according to Elon Musk, the billionaire founder, the patient is doing well in recovery. Musk mentioned in a post on the social media platform X on Monday that the initial results indicate promising detection of neuron spikes.

Spikes refer to the activity of neurons, which the National Institute of Health defines as cells using electrical and chemical signals to transmit information throughout the brain and body.

Last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration greenlit the company to kick off its first human trial to assess its brain-chip implant. This marked a crucial step in Neuralink’s mission to assist patients in overcoming paralysis and various neurological conditions. In September, Neuralink announced it had obtained approval to start recruiting participants for the human trial.

The research involves a robot surgically implanting a brain-computer interface (BCI) in a brain area responsible for movement intention, as mentioned by Neuralink before. The primary aim is to empower individuals to manipulate a computer cursor or keyboard solely through their thoughts.

Neuralink has explained that the “ultra-fine” threads in the implants aid in transmitting signals within participants’ brains. Elon Musk mentioned in another post on X that the initial product from Neuralink will be called Telepathy. The startup’s PRIME Study serves as a trial for its wireless brain-computer interface, focusing on assessing the safety of both the implant and the surgical robot. Neuralink did not promptly respond to a Reuters request for additional information.

The company has been under scrutiny for its safety procedures, with recent reports from Reuters stating that it was fined for breaking U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations related to the transportation of hazardous materials earlier this month.

In June of last year, the company had an estimated value of around $5 billion. However, in late November, four lawmakers urged the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to look into whether Musk had given investors misleading information about the safety of Neuralink’s technology. This request came after veterinary records revealed issues with the implants in monkeys, such as paralysis, seizures, and brain swelling.