Elon Musk’s brain implant startup Neuralink began human testing this week after finally getting federal approval last year.
The billionaire announced the beginning of human trials on Monday in a post on X.
“The first human received an implant from @Neuralink yesterday and is recovering well,” Mr. Musk posted. “Initial results show promising neuron spike detection.”
Mr. Musk went on to give details about the company’s first product, “Telepathy.”
He said it “enables control of your phone or computer, and through them almost any device, just by thinking.”
“Initial users will be those who have lost the use of their limbs. Imagine if Stephen Hawking could communicate faster than a speed typist or auctioneer. That is the goal,” he said.
The first human study is much like the ones the company conducted on monkeys. A surgical robot implants a brain-computer interface device into the part of the brain that controls movement. The “ultra-fine” threads of the device help to transmit signals through the brain.
The Food and Drug Administration gave the company the go-ahead in the fall of 2023, and the company soon received approval for human recruitment for trials in September.
Despite receiving approval, Neuralink has not been without controversy. Last year, U.S. lawmakers asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate the company after veterinary records showed that Neuralink’s animal test subjects had developed serious health complications after going through testing. The records indicate that monkeys used by Neuralink suffered brain swelling, paralysis and seizures.