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Time of India
7 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Elon Musk's Neuralink brain chip: What is it, how it helps paralysed patients and aims to merge humans with AI
Elon Musk 's Neuralink is revolutionising the way humans interact with technology by merging the power of thought with advanced computing. Its flagship innovation, a coin-sized brain implant called 'the Link,' enables individuals to control computers, smartphones, and even games just by thinking. The implant has already transformed lives, helping paralysed patients regain digital independence and communication ability. Early recipients like Noland Arbaugh, Audrey Crews, Alex, and RJ showcase how neural signals can bypass damaged pathways to restore essential functions. Beyond assisting people with disabilities, Neuralink envisions a future where humans could communicate brain-to-brain, boost memory, and even merge with artificial intelligence. However, this pioneering technology also faces significant challenges, including complex surgeries, device reliability, and ethical concerns over neural privacy and long-term brain safety. Check how Neuralink works , the individuals already benefiting from it, and how it could change the future of humanity. What is Neuralink? Inside Elon Musk's brain chip technology The Neuralink Link is a brain-computer interface (BCI) designed to record and interpret neural signals. It is implanted directly into the skull, with ultra-thin electrode threads (thinner than human hair) extending into the brain's motor cortex. These electrodes detect and interpret neural impulses associated with movement and thought processes. Once processed, the data is transmitted wirelessly to external devices like computers, tablets, and prosthetics, effectively allowing users to control technology with their minds. The implant charges wirelessly, ensuring convenience and continuous operation. How Neuralink works Surgical implantation A specialized surgical robot performs the implant procedure to ensure precision. The robot delicately inserts up to 1,024 flexible electrodes into specific brain regions without damaging nearby blood vessels or tissue. Signal detection The electrodes pick up tiny electrical impulses generated when the user thinks about performing specific actions, such as moving a cursor, selecting text, or clicking on applications. Data processing and transmission The neural signals are amplified, digitized, and processed by the implant's internal electronics. These processed signals are transmitted wirelessly to a receiver (a tablet or computer), converting thoughts into actionable commands. Adaptive learning system Neuralink's software uses machine learning to adapt to each user's unique neural patterns. Over time, accuracy improves, reducing errors and allowing faster digital control. Neuralink human trials reveal stunning breakthroughs for paralysed patients Source: New York Post Noland, paralysed from the shoulders down since a 2016 diving accident, became the first human Neuralink recipient in early 2024. The implant allowed him to play online chess, browse the internet, and use his laptop entirely via thought. Although some electrode threads retracted initially, software upgrades restored functionality, demonstrating Neuralink's ability to adapt to real-world challenges. Alex – Creativity unlocked The second recipient, known as Alex (pseudonym), used the implant for advanced digital tasks, including 3D modeling, digital art, and gaming. This success showed the device's potential beyond basic computer use, extending into professional and creative industries. Audrey Crews – The first female participant Paralyzed for over two decades, Audrey Crews became the first publicly identified female Neuralink recipient in mid-2025. She regained the ability to digitally sign her name and play interactive games for the first time in years. Her experience proved Neuralink's adaptability for different patient profiles. RJ – A Veteran's Independence restored RJ, a US military veteran, used Neuralink to control his smartphone and computer, enabling easier communication and daily digital tasks. His case highlighted Neuralink's potential in helping injured service members regain independence. Other participants (P6–P9+) By late 2025, at least nine people had received the implant as part of the PRIME clinical trial in the US and U.K. Though many remain anonymous, early reports confirmed that participants successfully executed binary commands and navigation tasks using only their thoughts. Neuralink future goals expand beyond medical applications While Neuralink's initial focus is medical restoring communication and independence for people with paralysis it has long-term ambitions that include: Memory enhancement: Storing and recalling digital memories directly from the brain. Brain-to-brain communication: Enabling direct mental communication between humans. Integration with AI: Allowing humans to interface with artificial intelligence for faster learning and cognitive enhancement. ` Neuralink's ethical and safety challenges The technology raises important questions: Privacy: Who controls neural data? Long-term health: What are the risks of chronic electrode implantation? Social impact: Could BCIs create inequality between enhanced and non-enhanced humans? Neuralink's research emphasises incremental progress, regulatory compliance, and patient safety, understanding that merging the human brain with machines requires caution as well as innovation. Also Read | Who is Arvinder Singh Bahal? The 80-year-old adventurer flying to space on Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin mission
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Neuralink raises $650M to help expand patient access
This story was originally published on MedTech Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily MedTech Dive newsletter. Elon Musk's Neuralink closed a $650 million funding in a Series E round, the company said Monday. The company said it plans to use the funds to expand patient access and 'innovate future devices that deepen the connection between biological and artificial intelligence.' Neuralink also announced that its brain implant has entered clinical trials in three countries, and that five people with severe paralysis are now using the implant to control digital and physical devices. Neuralink's brain computer interface consists of a chip that is surgically implanted in the skull, as well as electrodes that connect to the brain's cerebral cortex. It's designed to allow people to control a computer or mobile device. The latest fundraise included investors ARK Invest, Founders Fund, G42, Lightspeed, Sequoia Capital and others. Neuralink previously raised $280 million in a Series D round in 2023. Last year, Noland Arbaugh became the first person to receive the implant, which allowed him to move a cursor on a screen and play video games. Since then, Neuralink has sought additional applications. The company said last month it received the Food and Drug Administration's breakthrough designation to help restore communication for individuals with severe speech impairment. In Monday's announcement, Neuralink also said it had received breakthrough designation for vision restoration programs. The FDA determines breakthrough devices based on their potential for more effective treatment of life-threatening or irreversibly debilitating conditions. The designation gives manufacturers the opportunity to meet with FDA experts and have their submissions prioritized for review. Neuralink also said it has started clinical trials at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at the University of Miami, the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and the University Health Network in Toronto. Recommended Reading Elon Musk's brain implant company raises $280M to fund clinical trials Melden Sie sich an, um Ihr Portfolio aufzurufen.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Neuralink brain implant helps Arizona man regain control of his life
Elon Musk's Neuralink brain implants are designed to help individuals with disabilities — and the implant's first user told Fox News on Friday about the revolutionary technology. Arizona native Noland Arbaugh, the first Neuralink brain implant patient, joined "The Will Cain Show" to discuss how the device has helped him regain control of his life. "I'm just beyond grateful," Arbaugh told Fox News host Will Cain. "It's an incredible privilege to be a part of this." Paralyzed Man With Als Is Third To Receive Neuralink Implant, Can Type With Brain "To have someone like Elon Musk — one of the most powerful men in the world, so involved, so interested in affecting my life and people with disabilities right now — I can't even put it into words," he continued. He also thanked the Neuralink employees for supporting him on his medical journey. Read On The Fox News App "They are the hardest workers that I've ever met in my life, and they have such a passion for helping people," he said. Ai System Restores Speech For Paralyzed Patients Using Own Voice In 2016, Arbaugh was involved in a swimming accident, leaving him paralyzed from the shoulders down. Facing the rest of his life with significantly reduced mobility, he remarked on how limited his life felt before receiving the Neuralink implant. "I just wasn't really doing much," Arbaugh said. "I wasn't getting out of my house, I wasn't being able to communicate with the world." "After Neuralink, I feel like I have a purpose," he added. "I just want to become a functioning member of society… It's been an incredible journey, and I am incredibly grateful." Trump Says He Will Buy A Tesla To Support Elon Musk And His 'Baby' The Neuralink brain implant is a "fully implantable, cosmetically invisible, wireless brain-computer interface (BCI) designed to restore autonomy to people with paralysis. It enables users to operate their phones and computers with just their thoughts," a capability Neuralink calls "Telepathy," according to its website. "It's all through my motor cortex and my brain, and all those neurons firing with machine learning and AI," Arbaugh said. "It syncs up, and that's how I control the computer." Arbaugh added that it took some time for him to learn how to successfully use the implant, but he is excited about the potential of the device. Spacex's Starship Flight 9 Ends In Failure After Booster Loss: 'Success Comes From What We Learn' "There is a learning curve, if you will," he said. "You calibrate the implant, so you do certain things, do certain actions, think certain things — over time, the algorithm will learn your intentions and give you control." Arbaugh said he looks forward to the next chapter in his life now that he has more autonomy than he ever did since becoming quadriplegic, but he won't forget how Musk and Neuralink helped him regain that confidence. "They have changed my life in ways that they may never fully understand," he said. "I don't think I could ever thank them enough for all that they've done for me."Original article source: Neuralink brain implant helps Arizona man regain control of his life
Fox News
31-05-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Neuralink brain implant helps Arizona man regain control of his life
Elon Musk's Neuralink brain implants are designed to help individuals with disabilities — and the implant's first user told Fox News on Friday about the revolutionary technology. Arizona native Noland Arbaugh, the first Neuralink brain implant patient, joined "The Will Cain Show" to discuss how the device has helped him regain control of his life. "I'm just beyond grateful," Arbaugh told Fox News host Will Cain. "It's an incredible privilege to be a part of this." "To have someone like Elon Musk — one of the most powerful men in the world, so involved, so interested in affecting my life and people with disabilities right now — I can't even put it into words," he continued. He also thanked the Neuralink employees for supporting him on his medical journey. "They are the hardest workers that I've ever met in my life, and they have such a passion for helping people," he said. In 2016, Arbaugh was involved in a swimming accident, leaving him paralyzed from the shoulders down. Facing the rest of his life with significantly reduced mobility, he remarked on how limited his life felt before receiving the Neuralink implant. "I just wasn't really doing much," Arbaugh said. "I wasn't getting out of my house, I wasn't being able to communicate with the world." "After Neuralink, I feel like I have a purpose," he added. "I just want to become a functioning member of society… It's been an incredible journey, and I am incredibly grateful." The Neuralink brain implant is a "fully implantable, cosmetically invisible, wireless brain-computer interface (BCI) designed to restore autonomy to people with paralysis. It enables users to operate their phones and computers with just their thoughts," a capability Neuralink calls "Telepathy," according to its website. "It's all through my motor cortex and my brain, and all those neurons firing with machine learning and AI," Arbaugh said. "It syncs up, and that's how I control the computer." Arbaugh added that it took some time for him to learn how to successfully use the implant, but he is excited about the potential of the device. "There is a learning curve, if you will," he said. "You calibrate the implant, so you do certain things, do certain actions, think certain things — over time, the algorithm will learn your intentions and give you control." Arbaugh said he looks forward to the next chapter in his life now that he has more autonomy than he ever did since becoming quadriplegic, but he won't forget how Musk and Neuralink helped him regain that confidence. "They have changed my life in ways that they may never fully understand," he said. "I don't think I could ever thank them enough for all that they've done for me."
New Indian Express
05-05-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Brain-Computer Interface: How an FDA 'Breakthrough Tag' could expedite voice to the mute
CHENNAI: It's nothing but the dance of mind and machine, where neurons whisper secrets and wires weave dreams. As the digital age revolutionises healthcare, it offers not just healing, but unlocks potentials once trapped in a cage, opening a new way to envision a future where mind and technology live in harmony. The speech restoration device—an AI-driven brain-machine interface designed to assist individuals with severe speech impairments caused by conditions such as stroke, spinal cord injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), cerebral palsy, and multiple sclerosis—represents a true revolution in healthcare. Although it was a high-risk endeavor for Noland Arbaugh and Brad Smith when Neuralink, the neurotechnology company founded by Elon Musk in 2016, conducted its human trials of this technology in recent years, the prospect of this technology becoming a widely accessible, high-tech therapy for thousands with speech impairments may not be far off. Neuralink recently reached a major milestone in its mission to transform healthcare. Last week, the company announced that its speech restoration device had received the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) "Breakthrough Device" designation. This recognition, granted under the FDA's Breakthrough Devices Program, is intended to expedite the development and review of medical technologies that offer significant improvements over existing treatments for life-threatening or irreversibly debilitating conditions. Here's a detailed look at the brain implant's potential to help individuals with severe speech impairments: What Is A Breakthrough Device The FDA's Breakthrough Devices Program is designed to expedite the development, assessment, and review of medical devices that can provide significant improvements over current treatment options. The goal is to offer patients and healthcare providers faster access to innovations that could meaningfully improve health outcomes. By granting this designation to Neuralink's speech restoration device, the FDA aims to accelerate the device's journey toward becoming a clinically available treatment for individuals with severe neurological conditions. This speech restoration device has been specifically designed to assist individuals suffering from severe speech impairments caused by neurological conditions. These conditions include amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), stroke, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, and other disorders that impact the brain's ability to control speech. For individuals with these conditions, communication can become incredibly difficult, severely limiting their quality of life. The speech restoration device seeks to restore communication abilities by utilizing a brain-computer interface (BCI) that allows users to communicate through neural signals. The Revolution that Neuralink Technology offers: Currently there are three key BCI driven healthcare solutions that Neuralink has designed and developed. N1 Implant: At the heart of Neuralink's mission is its N1 implant, a small, coin-sized device designed to be implanted in the brain. Equipped with flexible threads containing electrodes, the N1 implant can detect neural activity and transmit these signals to external devices. This allows for direct communication between the brain and the device, bypassing damaged pathways in the brain and nervous system. The device is implanted using a robotic surgical system designed to minimize invasiveness and maximize precision. This technology is central not only to speech restoration but also to other treatments that Neuralink is exploring for neurological conditions. Blindsight: Another groundbreaking product from Neuralink is Blindsight, an experimental device aimed at restoring vision in individuals with total visual impairment. Instead of relying on the optic nerve, Blindsight directly stimulates the visual cortex of the brain, bypassing damaged pathways and enabling the brain to create a visual perception. The FDA has also granted Breakthrough Device Designation to Blindsight, highlighting its potential to change the lives of individuals who have lost their sight due to optic nerve damage. Speech Restoration Device: The speech restoration device, which earned FDA's Breakthrough Device Designation, is the latest in Neuralink's portfolio. This device aims to assist individuals with speech impairments due to various neurological disorders. The device's development underscores the company's commitment to improving the lives of individuals affected by debilitating conditions. Clinical Applications and Trials: A New Era in Neurological Care Neuralink has been actively testing its devices in human clinical trials. In January 2024, Noland Arbaugh became the first human recipient of a Neuralink implant. While the device faced some challenges, including the retraction of implant threads, it enabled Arbaugh to control a computer cursor with his thoughts, demonstrating the potential for BCIs to restore digital autonomy to individuals with paralysis. In April 2025, Brad Smith, a man paralysed by ALS, became the third recipient of a Neuralink implant. Smith's ability to use the device to type, edit videos, and communicate through brain-controlled cursor movements marked a significant leap forward in restoring the ability to communicate for individuals with severe neurological impairments. This success story illustrates how BCIs can dramatically improve the quality of life for people with disabilities, giving them a voice when traditional methods of communication are no longer viable. Ethical Considerations and Challenges As promising as Neuralink's technology is, it raises a host of ethical and technical questions. Some of the most pressing concerns include:
