Neuralink’s ground-breaking brain implants are attracting thousands of interested parties, according to a new story by Elon Musk biographer Ashlee Vance.
This revelation sheds light on the growing enthusiasm for the fusion of technology and the human mind.
Vance, who visited Neuralink’s facilities on numerous occasions over three years, disclosed that while the company has not yet implanted its device in a human, it has ambitious plans to conduct brain implant operations on 11 individuals next year and scale up to more than 22,000 by 2030.
This signals a remarkable leap in the pursuit of neural interfaces.
Earlier this year, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Neuralink, a company co-founded by Elon Musk in 2016, to initiate human trials of its innovative brain implant.
Musk has likened this device to a “Fitbit in your skull,” and its potential applications are revolutionary.
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Neuralink Brain Implants
The FDA’s prior rejection of Neuralink’s human testing proposal in March had raised concerns regarding safety, mainly related to the potential movement of wires connected to the brain chip within a subject’s head or overheating issues.
In September, Neuralink embarked on the recruitment process for its first human trial. The company announced its search for individuals with paralysis in all four limbs due to conditions such as spinal cord injuries or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
The aim is to harness the power of brain-machine symbiosis, ultimately enabling individuals to send messages or engage in activities using only their thoughts. However, Neuralink’s initial focus remains on assisting those with neurological disorders.
The concept of melding human cognition with artificial intelligence has long been a subject of fascination and exploration.
Neuralink’s journey to bridge the gap between humans and machines could have profound implications not only for those suffering from neurological ailments but also for the broader field of human-computer interaction.
As Neuralink advances, it opens doors to a future where the boundaries of what the human mind can achieve may be significantly expanded.
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