The initial human recipient of a Neuralink brain-chip has reportedly fully recovered, according to Elon Musk, the founder of the startup. Musk announced during a Spaces event on the social media platform X that the patient has demonstrated successful control of a computer mouse through thought alone.
He added that the progress is encouraging, with no adverse neural effects noted. The current focus for Neuralink is maximizing mouse button clicks achieved through the patient's thoughts.
Responding to Reuters' request for more information, Neuralink has not provided immediate details.
The company received approval for human trial recruitment in September and successfully implanted a chip in its first human patient last month using a robot for precise placement in the brain region controlling movement intention.
The primary objective is to enable individuals to control a computer cursor or keyboard using their thoughts.
Elon Musk envisions broader applications for Neuralink, proposing quick surgical insertions of its chip devices to address conditions such as obesity, autism, depression, and schizophrenia.
Despite these ambitions, Neuralink, valued at approximately $5 billion last year, faces ongoing scrutiny for safety protocols. Recent reports revealed fines for violating U.S. Department of Transportation rules regarding the transportation of hazardous materials.
Paraphrasing text from "Reuters" all rights reserved by the original author.
