LAS VEGAS, USA. Elon Musk has announced that a third individual has received a brain implant from Neuralink, his brain-computer interface (BCI) company. The revelation highlights Neuralink’s advancements in connecting human nervous systems to machines, a rapidly expanding area of research.
“We’ve got … three humans with Neuralinks and all are working well,” Musk shared during an interview streamed on X, his social media platform, at an event in Las Vegas.
Musk disclosed that Neuralink has upgraded its devices since the first implant was placed roughly a year ago. Improvements include more electrodes, higher bandwidth, and extended battery life. Looking ahead, Neuralink aims to implant the experimental device in 20 to 30 more individuals this year.
While Musk provided no specifics about the latest patient, he detailed the progress of previous recipients. The second recipient, who has a spinal cord injury, was implanted last summer and has since been using the device to play video games and explore computer-aided design (CAD) software to create 3D objects. The first patient, also paralyzed due to a spinal cord injury, shared how the device enabled them to play video games and chess.
Neuralink is one of several organizations advancing BCIs to assist individuals with neurological disorders or injuries. In 2023, the New England Journal of Medicine published studies demonstrating how BCIs helped individuals with ALS communicate more effectively.
According to a U.S. database of studies, over 45 trials involving BCIs are underway. Rajesh Rao, co-director of the Center for Neurotechnology at the University of Washington, noted that Neuralink stands out for its robotic surgery method, which implants flexible electrode threads into the human brain to record neural activity. These threads may also capture data from more neurons than competing devices.
However, Rao highlighted that Neuralink’s advantages are not yet proven. Other companies, such as Synchron, Blackrock Neurotech, and Onward Medical, are conducting BCI trials using less invasive or more versatile approaches.
Marco Baptista, chief scientific officer of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, described BCI technology as “very exciting” with significant potential benefits for individuals with paralysis. However, he emphasized the importance of clinical trials to determine the safest and most effective methods.
“We need to really support high-risk, high-reward endeavors. This is clearly high-risk, high-reward. We don’t know how safe it’s going to be. We don’t know how feasible it’s going to be,” Baptista said, adding that his foundation has not provided funding to Neuralink.
Neuralink announced in 2023 that it had received permission from U.S. regulators to begin human trials of its device. According to Dr. Rita Redberg, a cardiologist at the University of California, San Francisco, high-risk medical devices like BCIs require an “investigational device exemption” from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The FDA plays a critical role in monitoring the recruitment of patients, testing devices, and analyzing trial data, ensuring safety at every step. Additionally, all human research must be overseen by an institutional review board (IRB), which evaluates risks and ensures informed consent from participants.
With Neuralink’s latest developments, the potential of brain-computer interfaces continues to capture global attention. Whether these advancements will meet safety and efficacy expectations remains to be seen as clinical trials progress.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
- Gary P Hernalhttps://tutubi.ph/author/gary-hernal/
- Gary P Hernalhttps://tutubi.ph/author/gary-hernal/
- Gary P Hernalhttps://tutubi.ph/author/gary-hernal/
- Gary P Hernalhttps://tutubi.ph/author/gary-hernal/
