Latest news with #BCIs
NDTV
3 days ago
- Business
- NDTV
Paralysed Neuralink Patient Writes Name Using Her Thoughts, Elon Musk Responds
A quadriplegic woman wrote her name for the first time in 20 years using her mind, thanks to a Neuralink brain chip implant. Audrey Crews, paralysed since the age of 16, shared the achievement in a post on X, writing, "I tried writing my name for the first time in 20 years. I'm working on it. Lol #Neuralink." A photo accompanying the post showed her name, "Audrey," scrawled in violet on a digital whiteboard, controlled entirely by her mind. I tried writing my name for the first time in 20 years. Im working on it. Lol #Neuralink — Audrey Crews (@NeuraNova9) July 26, 2025 "She is controlling her computer just by thinking," Elon Musk, founder of the brain-chip company, wrote on X. "Most people don't realise this is possible." She is controlling her computer just by thinking. Most people don't realize this is possible. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 27, 2025 Founded by Musk in 2016 to develop advanced brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), Neuralink uses a coin-sized brain chip. It is implanted surgically beneath the skull, with ultra-thin threads inserted into the brain's motor cortex. The chip reads and interprets brain activity, allowing users to control digital devices, such as a computer cursor or keyboard, using only their thoughts. Audrey Crews, who recently underwent surgery at the University of Miami Health Center, described the BCI implant in a follow-up post. "Here's more information about how my BCI, brain computer interface, implant works and my surgery," she wrote. "They drilled a hole in my skull and placed 128 threads into my motor cortex. The chip is about the size of a quarter. The staff... treated me like a VIP." Here's more information about how my BCI, brain computer interface, implant works and my surgery. I had surgery last week and everything is going amazing. It was brain surgery, they drilled a hole in my skull and placed 128 threads into my motor cortex. The chip is about the size… — Audrey Crews (@NeuraNova9) July 28, 2025 She clarified that the technology is not meant to restore her ability to walk. "It's strictly for telepathy only," she said. "The BCI lets me control my computer using my mind. I'll be able to control more electronic devices in the near future." Asked about what's next, she replied, "Hopefully write a book about my journey. I've been a quadriplegic since the age of 16 so I have lots to tell." Hopefully write a book about my journey. Iv been a quadriplegic since the age of 16 so i have lots to tell. — Audrey Crews (@NeuraNova9) July 28, 2025 Neuralink implanted its first chip in a human last year after receiving regulatory approval for human trials. This uses a surgical robot to insert the chip into the part of the brain that controls the intention to move. The company at the time said their goal was to allow patients to control a cursor or keyboard with their thoughts, as per Reuters. Neuralink is also collaborating on a clinical trial with researchers in California and Spain aimed at developing visual prosthetics. The trial is exploring a potential " Smart Bionic Eye" that could help blind individuals recognise faces, navigate outdoor environments, and read. The device would rely on artificial intelligence. The study's listing indicates Neuralink patients will be included "once available." Elon Musk has long promoted Neuralink as a frontier technology that could ultimately treat conditions such as obesity, depression, autism, and schizophrenia. He also revealed the company's ambitions to launch a vision-restoring chip called Blindsight, which has been tested on monkeys but not yet in humans. Neuralink aims to roll out Blindsight by 2030 and projects up to $1 billion in annual revenue from its suite of neural devices by 2031, Bloomberg reported.
India Today
4 days ago
- Business
- India Today
Elon Musk's Neuralink lets paralysed woman write her name after 20 years using only her mind
Earlier this month, Neuralink, the brain–computer interface (BCI) company founded by Elon Musk, announced that it had successfully completed two implant surgeries in a single day for the first time. The company shared that both procedures were carried out on the same day and that the patients are now recovering. 'We successfully completed both P8 and P9 this weekend, our first time performing two surgeries in one day,' the company wrote in its post on X (formerly Twitter). Following up on this announcement, one of the recipients of the Neuralink implant has now shared that she is able to write her name and play games on a computer for the first time in 20 of the recipients of the Neualink implant, Audrey Crews, who has identified herself as 'P9', is now sharing her progress publicly. 'I would like to announce that I am P9. I am the first woman in the world with a Neuralink BCI. I can't wait for the world to meet me and follow me on my journey,' she wrote on revealed that she has been paralysed for 20 years and underwent the surgery in the hope of regaining some abilities. Now after the surgery, she reveals that she is now able to write her name for the first time since her injury. 'I tried writing my name for the first time in 20 years. I'm working on it,' she posted. In a follow-up post, Crews revealed that she underwent brain surgery to receive the Neuralink implant at the University of Miami Health Centre. The procedure involved drilling a small hole in her skull and meticulously placing 128 threads into her motor cortex. Notably, doctors use robotic assistance during the procedure to ensure greater precision. The chip itself is roughly the size of a 10p then shared that the surgery had been a success and that everything was progressing 'amazingly'. 'The BCI lets me control my computer using my mind. I'll be able to control more electronic devices in the near future. I also want to clarify that this implant will not allow me to walk again or regain movement. It's strictly for telepathy only,' she Musk, also shared Crews' story and commented on X: 'She is controlling her computer just by thinking. Most people don't realise this is possible.' But how exactly does the Neuralink implant work?Founded in 2016, Neuralink is developing implantable brain–computer interfaces (BCIs). At the core of the system is a small device, referred to as 'The Link' or the 'N1 Implant', which is surgically placed in the skull. From this implant, thin, flexible threads are positioned into specific regions of the brain, particularly the motor cortex, which is involved in movement threads contain electrodes designed to detect and record the electrical signals generated by neurons. When an individual thinks of an action – in Crews' case, what she describes as 'telepathy' – their neurons produce specific electrical patterns. The Neuralink implant captures these neural signals and transmits them wirelessly to an external device, such as a on the external device then interpret these brain signals, converting them into commands that can operate digital interfaces. In Audrey Crews' case, her thoughts are translated into actions on a computer screen, allowing her to manipulate a cursor, type, or interact with software without any physical has previously shared that the primary aim of Neuralink at this stage is to provide individuals with severe paralysis or neurological conditions a way to interact with digital devices purely by thought. Crews herself has been posting regular updates on her recovery, showing how she is able to do things like play games, write her name and even draw on a computer screen – all simply by thinking.- Ends
Euronews
22-07-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Neuralink implants brain-computer device into ninth participant
Neuralink said it implanted its brain-computer interface (BCI) device in its eighth and ninth participants over the weekend. The Elon Musk-owned company aims to help paralysed people use their computers and smartphones using only their thoughts. It works by connecting a person's nervous system to devices that can interpret their brain activity. This was the first time the neurotechnology company did two surgeries in one day, Neuralink said on the Musk-owned social media platform X. 'Both participants are recovering well and in great spirits,' the company said. 'We are looking forward to supporting them on their Neuralink journey'. The company did not disclose additional details about the participants' health or locations. Neuralink said in 2023 that US regulators had given it permission to test its device in people. The company implanted its first device in January 2024, in a man who was paralysed after a spinal cord injury. The implant made it possible for him to play video games and chess. After the third person got a Neuralink implant in January, Musk said he hoped it would be given to 20 to 30 more people this year. Other participants have also had spinal cord injuries or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which over time erodes patients' ability to move their arms, legs, and body. Neuralink's device is still in early clinical trials, testing the implant's initial safety and functionality in people with specific medical conditions that limit their mobility. But Musk has hyped it as a tool that could one day have much broader appeal. 'Neuralink will do live-changing [sic] good for ultimately millions, maybe billions, of people,' Musk wrote on X after the latest surgeries were announced. 'Imagine your loved one being able to walk again or your parent with dementia being able to recognise their child again,' he added. Neuralink is one of several companies working on BCIs. Other studies are exploring their use for people with cerebral palsy, dementia, stroke, and other health issues, according to a US clinical trials database.
Business Insider
28-06-2025
- Health
- Business Insider
Cofounder of Neuralink rival Precision Neuroscience reveals what people often get wrong about brain implants
At least that's the line from Dr. Ben Rapoport, the cofounder and chief science officer of Precision Neuroscience, a brain-computer interface, or BCI, company. "Many people have the impression that the data that we care about is sort of everywhere inside this dimensional structure," Rapoport, a neurosurgeon and engineer, told Business Insider. That's a big misconception, he said. People often incorrectly assume that "you need electrodes that penetrate deep inside the brain to get that information out," he added. But brain implants don't need to be as invasive as they might sound, he said. Precision is developing a thin film that sits on the brain and records brain activity in patients with paralysis. "We implant modules of 1,024 electrodes on the brain surface in the area that controls movement, especially the hand," Rapoport said. That allows them to have cursor control, typing ability, access the internet, use PowerPoint, play games, and word process, he added. These are actions that require vision, movement, sensation, and executive function — core parts of consciousness that are concentrated in the brain's outermost layer, the cortex, Rapoport said. Deeper inside are "connections, you know, between those activities and also sort of subconscious processes, because the brain coordinates a lot of activities in the body that don't take place consciously," he added. The New York-based startup, which received FDA clearance for part of its wireless brain-computer interface in April, has raised $155 million in funding since it launched in 2021. It is one of a few companies advancing this technology as part of the Implantable BCI Collaborative Community. BCIs are largely classified into two categories: invasive and non-invasive. Non-invasive BCIs, which don't require surgery, often rely on external sensors to detect the electrical signals in the brain. BCS that are implanted record neural activity directly from the brain and are being developed to restore speech, movement, and other complex functions in people with neurological conditions. The buzziest BCI these days is Elon Musk's Neuralink, which has ambitions to create a "symbiosis" between the human brain and AI. But there are a host of other companies working on BCIs as a way to treat neurological diseases, like Precision Neuroscience. The company has tested its temporary device in over forty patients in early clinical studies. Over the next year, it will prepare for the first human studies of its permanently implanted devices. "There are certain internal validation checks and internal milestones that we need to meet for ourselves and for the FDA before we want to start implanting the permanently implanted wireless device in humans," Rapoport said. The company's ultimate goal is to help paralyzed people get "back to a level of functional capacity where they can be significantly independent, economically self-sufficient, and hold a job in the workplace," Rapoport said. Correction: June 27, 2025 — An earlier version of this story said that Dr. Ben Rapoport was the founder and CEO of Precision Neuroscience; Dr. Rapoport is the cofounder and chief science officer. An earlier version also mischaracterized the film that goes on the brain. It is not studded with electrodes; the electrodes are embedded.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Musk's Neuralink Secures $650 Million for Clinical Push
Neuralink just closed a hefty $650 million Series E round, pushing its valuation past the $9 billion mark. Backed by big names like ARK Invest, Founders Fund, Sequoia Capital, QIA and Valor Equity Partners, this infusion makes it clear that investors still believe in Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk's vision of braincomputer interfaces (BCIs). In more concrete terms, it means Neuralink can accelerate its clinical trialsright now, five patients with severe paralysis are already using implanted devices to control computers and smartphones with their thoughts alone. Those trials span institutions like the Barrow Neurological Institute, Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Toronto Western Hospital and the Cleveland Clinic in Abu Dhabi. And because Neuralink is hoping to snag Breakthrough Device Designation from the FDA for its vision and speech restoration program, the clock is tickingdecisions on that usually land within 60 days. If they get it, the path to wider use becomes a lot smoother. Of course, this isn't just about bolstering medical trials. With the new capital, Neuralink can beef up manufacturing and expand its engineering teamscritical steps if it's going to compete in an emerging market for neuroprosthetics. Moreover, thanks to Musk's broader ecosystem commitment with Tesla, SpaceX, Starlink, xAI and XNeuralink has unique access to AI expertise, hardware know-how and regulatory resources. All told, the big raise and the early patient wins suggest Neuralink's bets on restoring autonomy to people with paralysis (and possibly beyond) are far from over. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data
