Elon Musk says first human patient has received Neuralink brain implant

“Preliminary results show promise for neuronal spike detection,” Elon Musk said.

San Francisco:

Elon Musk said on Tuesday that his Neuralink startup had installed a brain implant in the first human patient and that preliminary results were “promising.”

The neurotech company, co-founded by Musk in 2016, aims to create a direct communication channel between the brain and computers.

The goal is to augment human capabilities, treat neurological diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease, and perhaps one day achieve a symbiotic relationship between humans and artificial intelligence.

“The first person received a Neuralink implant yesterday and is recovering well,” Musk posted on X (formerly Twitter).

“Preliminary results show promise for neuronal spike detection,” he added.

First human receives implant @Neuralink Yesterday, recovery was good.

Preliminary results show promise for neuronal spike detection.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 29, 2024

The startup said last year it had received approval from U.S. regulators to test its brain implants on humans.

Neuralink’s technology will work primarily through an implant called a “Link,” which is about the size of five stacked coins and is invasively surgically implanted inside the human brain.

California-based Neuralink has more than 400 employees and raised at least $363 million in funding last year, according to data firm Pitchbook.

While Musk gets most of the headlines, he’s not the only one trying to make progress in the field, officially known as brain-computer or brain-computer interface research.

Due to delays, the tycoon has reportedly teamed up with implant developer Synchron for a potential investment.

Unlike Neuralink’s Link, its implanted version doesn’t require cutting into the skull to install.

Australia-based Synchron implanted its first device in a U.S. patient in July 2022.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)