Elon Musk’s company, Neuralink, is on the verge of making history with its first brain implants in humans. The organization is inviting patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and spinal cord injuries to participate in an innovative project aimed at improving their quality of life through the insertion of devices in their heads.
A recent report by Ashlee Vance, a biographer of Musk, revealed that although there is some skepticism about the potential risks of the brain implants, thousands of people are interested in receiving the devices. Neuralink has not yet performed operations on human beings, but there are a large number of volunteers eager to participate in the project.
The company’s goal is to perform surgeries on 11 people by 2024, with an ambitious target of more than 22,000 patients by 2030. In early 2023, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Neuralink approval to conduct human trials for its brain devices, which Musk has described as a “Fitbit in the skull.”
While previously the FDA had denied the company permission to carry out operations due to safety concerns, Neuralink is now moving forward with its plans. The organization aims to create devices that will allow humans to send information or messages to a computer or artifact with only their thoughts.
According to Vance’s report, Neuralink has performed 155 surgical implantations in the brains of animals such as pigs and monkeys. Musk is reportedly pressuring his team to accelerate their advances and perform the fastest and most effective surgeries without human help, in order not to be left behind in the race for brain implants.
In September, Neuralink updated its blog and issued a call for people with paralysis in all four limbs, whether due to a spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, to participate in the project. The company is determined to revolutionize the field of brain implants and improve the lives of patients with debilitating conditions.