There is no doubt, that day is getting closer. The beginning of neural implants is about to become a reality. The Neuralink company will begin recruiting volunteers to carry out tests. The purpose of this is to implant a computer in people’s brains. It would allow them to control other devices with just their thoughts. This was reported by the company this Tuesday in a statement.
«We are pleased to announce it. We have already received approval from the independent institutional review board and our first hospital. Now we can begin recruiting for our first clinical trial in humans,” said magnate Elon Musk’s company.
Neurotechnology
This is the study called PRIME (Precise Robotically Implanted Brain-Computer Interface). It would eventually allow people with paralysis to control external devices with their thoughts. According to Neuralik’s statement, during the study, a robot (R1) will be used to surgically place ultra-fine, flexible threads from an implant (N1). It will do so in a region of the brain that controls the intention to move.
«Once placed, the N1 implant is cosmetically invisible. It is intended to record and transmit brain signals wirelessly. It transmits them to an application that decodes the movement intention,” said the neurotechnology company. «What is the initial objective of our BCI? Giving people the ability to control the cursor or keyboard of a computer using only their thoughts,” she explained.
Candidates
The specialized company gave more details of the PRIME study. It already has authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is the regulatory authority of the United States government. «It represents an important step in our mission. We want to create a generalized brain interface. “We hope to return autonomy to those with unmet medical needs,” Neuralink said in its statement.
What types of people could be candidates? Those with tetraplegia due to cervical spinal cord injury. Or with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the company noted. The beginning of neural implants inaugurates a new time.
