Herbert Ekpe

Elon Musk announced that the first human Neuralink patient had made a full recovery. This study pioneered by Musk’s group that aims to fuse minds with machine began in 2016. It aims to help people who have limited movement access technology through implantation of a chip on their brain. The project gains both criticisms and applauds from the scientific world.

“Progress is good, the patient seems to have made a full recovery, with neural effects that we are aware of”, said by Elon Musk. The said patient was able to move the mouse pointer around the screen by just thinking of that particular action. Musk adds that his company is now trying to get the patient to perform as many mouse clicks as possible.

The first bio chip was called Telepathy that “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. This technology would be able to send hundred, even thousands of brain cells to control external devices.

The use of Neuralink, as reported by Vox Newspaper, is to help people who are paralyzed and/ or has limited bodily movement. But, “it’s pushing a needlessly risky approach”, highlighted Sigal Samuel of Vox knowing the risk of implanting a chip inside the brain.

Robert Hart of Forbes News says: “It is telepathic.” Early ambitions for Neuralink are focused on restoring functions lost when the communication pathways between brain and body break down. Telepathy, for example, would hopefully restore communication or movement for paralyzed people. Neuralink also wants to let patients control computing devices solely with their minds with an app it’s working on. Musk said that the first human patient implanted with a Neuralink chip last month “is able to move the mouse around the screen. “Neuralink chip is working”, according to Emma W. Thorne, Editor at Linkedln News.

Some researchers, as reported by Explainer Newspaper, are concerned about a lack of transparency surrounding the implant, which aims to allow people control devices through thought alone.

Although, some other experts are saying it will take time to evaluate the device. It is still on the first trial. Right now, according to Professor Anne Vanhoestenberghe of Kings College, London that “only a few companies have adopted the device on human. But, how long the interface is, will be how much it will benefit the participant.”

The question remains, will Neuralink be really beneficial? Therefore, the company has faced calls for scrutiny regarding its safety protocols. Reuters reported earlier this month that the company was fined for violating U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) rules regarding the movement of hazardous materials.

Last June of 2023, the company was valued at about $5 billion. Furthermore, four lawmakers in late November asked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate whether Musk had misled investors about the safety of its technology after veterinary records showed problems with the implants on monkeys included paralysis, seizures and brain swelling. Hence, Elon Musk wrote in a social media post on September 10, 2023 that “no monkey has died as a result of a Neuralink implant.” He added that the company chose “terminal” monkeys to minimize risk to healthy ones.

While the goal of Elon Musk’s “futuristic” project is to help people with physical disabilities, the results have yet to be seen and countless debates about its moral and ethical dimensions have yet to be fought and won.

Photo: Xinmei Liu for Vox