brain computer interface

Elon Musk, the Tesla and SpaceX founder, is always up to something next level. He has been involved in some really big and unique projects, like an online bank, an electric car, a reusable rocket, etc. The CEO of one of the biggest tech giants also owns the secretive experimental company ‘Neuralinks’. Tuesday evening during an event in San Francisco, Musk gave a presentation on the projects that this company has been working on for the past two years.

The company was
founded in 2017, and it mainly works on developing the data
transmission system between humans and computers. On Tuesday, CEO
Musk, on the behalf of Neuralink, introduced devices that can be
implanted to a human brain, so that they can operate devices like
computer and smartphones through their thoughts.

Musk explained that there will be threads thinner than a normal human hair, which will be connected with a processor inside the human brain. This processor will make the person able to operate various electronic devices through a Bluetooth connection.

During the
presentation, the company demonstrated a computer receiving
information from a rats mind. And, in future, the company seeks to
get permission from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to start
clinical trials on the human brains. If the company gets the
approval, it will start the experiments by the end of the first half
of the next year.

According to Musk,
Neuralink is experimenting with such devices so that the paralysed
people will be able to control through their mind, but with lesser
damage made to their neural system than the other already available
devices do.

The process of
inserting the processor into a paralysed human’s brain will include
drilling four 8mm holes into the patient’s skull and then implant the
processor connected to 4 to 6 μm thin polymer threads. This will
help them operate various devices only through their thoughts. The
company intends to use a laser beam to get through the skull in
future.

“We will
painlessly laser-drill the holes into the skull, place the threads,
plug the hole with the sensor, and then you go home. It’ll be an
experience like getting Lasik,” said President Max Hodak.

According to a
report by the New York Times, the company will be carrying out the
early experiments with the neuroscientists at Stanford University.

“It’s not going to be suddenly Nueuralink will have this neural lace and start taking over people’s brains. Ultimately, the company wants to achieve a symbiosis with artificial intelligence. And that, even in benign scenario humans would be left behind.” said Elon Musk during the presentation.

Earlier in 2006, the
scientists from the Brown University developed a similar system named
BrainGate that enabled a paralysed person Matthew Nagle play Pong
using only his mind. But, this was a way stiffer technology and is
prone to cause more damage to the human brain.

But the technology
used by Neuralink is more flexible. The company has also developed a
robot who will insert those threads into the human brain that too six
threads per minute.

Yashica Vashishtha

Yashica is a Software Engineer turned Content Writer, who loves to write on social causes and expertise in writing technical stuff. She loves to watch movies and explore new places. She believes that you need to live once before you die. So experimenting with her life and career choices, she is trying to live her life to the fullest.

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