Neuralink, a company developing computer interfaces for human brains, implanted a device in a patient on Sunday, according to founder Elon Musk. Musk said the company’s first product, Telepathy, would enable people to control devices with their thoughts. Initial users will be those who have lost limb mobility, Musk wrote in a series of posts on his social media platform, X.
Musk and Neuralink did not provide further details about the recipient of the implant or its functionality. In November 2022, Musk predicted that human testing would begin within six months. Neuralink previously demonstrated a product in a video showing monkeys moving computer cursors with their brains, and the company received FDA approval for human trials in May.
Neuralink’s website states that its first clinical trial is open to recruitment for people with limited or no use of both hands due to spinal cord injury or ALS. The website explains that the device is designed to interpret a person’s neural activity so they can operate devices by intending to move, without requiring wires or physical movement.
At a late 2022 presentation, Musk claimed that Neuralink’s devices would eventually allow blind people to see or restore full-body functionality to individuals with severed spinal cords, drawing skepticism from experts.
