Elon Musk is not only dedicating his time to Tesla and Twitter but also to other ventures, such as Neuralink, a company focused on neurotechnology. Neuralink is developing devices that could help treat individuals with disabilities caused by neurological disorders.
According to Bloomberg, Neuralink’s new project involves the creation of neural chips—small devices made up of wires and electrodes implanted in the brain. The first trials are expected to take place within the next six months.
Developers claim the chip will be no larger than a coin and will monitor brain activity, potentially aiding in the recovery of brain functions damaged by strokes or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The brain-computer interface aims to restore vision and enable ALS patients to “telepathically type” their thoughts onto a computer screen.
Clinical trials on humans have been licensed and are in the development stage. It now remains to be seen whether the neural chips will perform as effectively in humans as they have in animals, as Neuralink has so far only conducted experiments on monkeys. In these trials, animals were implanted with chips that enabled them to move cursors across letters on a screen. However, a major concern for the company is the risk of the chip overheating, which could lead to harmful chemicals leaking into the brain.