Neuralink- Human controls mouse with thoughts
In a significant development, Elon Musk, the founder of Neuralink, announced on Monday that the first human patient implanted with the brain-chip from the innovative startup has fully recovered. The patient is reportedly capable of controlling a computer mouse solely through his thoughts.
During a Spaces event on the social media platform X, Musk shared, “Progress is good, and the patient seems to have made a full recovery, with no ill effects that we are aware of. Patient is able to move a mouse around the screen by just thinking.”
Neuralink is currently focused on maximizing the patient’s ability to generate mouse button clicks through thought control, Musk added. Despite Reuters’ request for further details, Neuralink has not responded at the time of reporting.
Last month, Neuralink achieved a significant milestone by successfully implanting a chip in its first human patient, following approval for human trial recruitment in September. The study involves a robot surgically placing a brain-computer interface implant in a brain region responsible for controlling movement intentions. The primary goal is to empower individuals to control a computer cursor or keyboard using their thoughts.
Elon Musk envisions Neuralink’s technology to revolutionize medical interventions, aiming for swift surgical insertions of chip devices to address conditions such as obesity, autism, depression, and schizophrenia.
However, Neuralink has faced scrutiny over safety protocols, and last month, Reuters reported that the company was fined for violating U.S. Department of Transportation rules related to the movement of hazardous materials. Despite challenges, the recent success in enabling thought-controlled mouse movements represents a promising step forward for Neuralink’s ambitions.