FDA Approves Elon Musk’s Human Clinical Study for Neuralink

According to a new report, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Elon Musk's brain-computer interface company Neuralink to move forward with its first-in-human clinical study. This is a major milestone as it will mean that their device will be attached to a human brain for the first time.

Neuralink Approved For First Human Clinical Study

The news comes after Elon Musk said last November that Neuralink was roughly six months away from its first human trial, suggesting that this is a rare instance of a Musk promise materializing on schedule. The trial's outcomes are significantly more significant than announcing a future human problem. However, this isn't any trial. This signals the first time technology has been connected to a human brain, The Verge reported.

And it raises the question, "Who would enroll in such a thing, and why?" Is there any chance that it will be Elon Musk himself? Or will it be someone who wants to attract attention to Musk for a significant medical reason?

Musk has asserted that he will have the implant placed in his head at some undisclosed point.

Musk's Neuralink would not be the first to implant a brain-computer interface in a person: Synchron revealed the first US brain-computer implant in July and was given FDA approval to start US trials in 2021.

The findings of a previous investigation involving four human patients in Australia were released this January.

You can do nothing if you are considering participating in the Neuralink trial yourself. Neuralink said the recruitment isn't open yet and will make further announcements "soon."

What Is Neuralink?

Neuralink is creating a brain-computer interface to help those who need medical support. They aim to unlock human potential by allowing people with quadriplegia to control their computer and mobile devices with their thoughts. In this way, they can express themselves.

Additionally, they want to restore those individuals' independence and improve their overall life. They make this possible by designing a BCI experience that enables fast and reliable computer control with ease of use.

Their brain-computer interface is fully implantable and cosmetically invisible. It is designed to let one control a computer or mobile device anywhere they are.

The N1 implant is sealed in a biocompatible enclosure and designed to withstand physiological conditions several times harsher than what the human body endures. The advanced and low-power chips and electronics process neural signals and transmit them wirelessly to the Neuralink Application, which decodes the data and streams it into action.

The N1 implant is powered with a small battery charged wirelessly from the outside via a compact, inductive charger for easy access anywhere. It is highly flexible and ultra-thin to minimize damage during implantation and beyond.

Neuralink involves a surgical robot. According to the company, the threads of their implants are so fine that they can't be inserted by a human hand. So, they designed a surgical robot that will insert the threats exactly where they are needed to be.

Check out more news and information on Neuralink in Science Times.