The start-up Neuralink is looking for volunteers for a clinical trial that is expected to last 6 years.
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Neuralink, to boot belongs to Elon Musk, dedicated to brain-computer interface (BCI), has started recruiting people for his first human test.
The company’s goal is to connect the human brain to computers and test the technology on paralyzed people.
A robot will help implement a BCI system that will allow users to control a computer’s cursor or typing, using only their thoughts.
Rival companies have already implanted BCI devices in humans.
Neuralink won approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May for its first clinical trial (with humans), an achievement after previous attempts to get the green light.
That month, Neuralink said the FDA approval was “an important first step that will one day allow our technology to help many people.”
The company was seeking approval to implant its devices in 10 volunteers, former officials and FDA officials told the Reuters news agency.
It is not known how many participants were approved.
Brain signals
At the start of the study, which is expected to last six years, a robot will be used to surgically place 64 flexible wires – thinner than a strand of human hair – into a part of the brain that controls “the intention to move,” Neuralink explained .
This will allow Neuralink’s N1 experimental implant, powered by a battery that can be charged wirelessly, to record and transmit brain signals to an app that will decode how the person intends to move.
The company is looking for participants who suffer from quadriplegia due to injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a disease in which nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain degenerate.
While Musk’s involvement increases Neuralink’s visibility, the company faces rivals that already have nearly two decades of experience.
Utah-based Blackrock Neurotech implemented its first of several BCIs in 2004.
Precision Neuroscience, created by a Neuralink co-founder, also aims to help people with paralysis. Its implant looks like a very thin piece of tape that sits on the surface of the brain and can be implanted through a “cranial microslit” – a much simpler procedure, according to the company.
Meanwhile, existing devices are delivering results. In two recent scientific studies in the United States, implants were used to monitor brain activity when a person tried to speak, which could ultimately be decoded to help them communicate.
Adrien Rapeaux, a research associate at the Neural Interfaces Laboratory at Imperial College London, told the BBC that “Neuralink definitely has an advantage in terms of implementation,” as its procedure is robot-assisted.
But Rapeaux, who is also co-founder of Mintneuro (a to boot of neural implants), stressed that it is unclear whether Neuralink’s method of converting brain signals into actions can remain reliable for a long time, which is a “known problem in the industry.”
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
