Telepathy: Elon Musk presents the first neurochip for humans

Telepathy is the name of Elon Musk’s new project. This is the first Neuralink device that allows people to control a smartphone or computer with their mind. We will be talking about this and much more. Do not miss it!

What is Telepathy?

Telepathy is the name that Elon Musk gave to the new intelligent brain implant project developed by Neuralink. Neuralink is developing two types of implants simultaneously. One is to restore sight even to the blind and the other is to restore basic bodily functions to people paralyzed by spinal cord injuries. Musk said about this product on his social network that you can control your phone, your computer, any device with just your thoughts.

The first to use it will be people who cannot use their limbs, or who have a neural problem. In the interview, Musk gave the example of the famous Stephen Hawking, who was unable to move the muscles in his body. These are the people of greatest interest in this new project.

Neuralink History

This company emerged in 2017 although its first public appearance was in 2019. In relation to the development of Telepathy technology, the company has created 2 devices. The first is the chip that will be implanted in the person’s brain and has 1024 ultra-thin electrodes and cables that are inserted into the neural networks. This data is transmitted wirelessly to the computer for the data to be studied.

In 2020, the company showed off one of the chips working on a pig named Gertrude in the live demo. Gertrude’s Neurab device transmits live data while being demonstrated as the snow falls.

The demonstration was proof of concept, and when the chip recorded and snatched the food, it showed how to accurately predict the location of Gertrude’s limbs when nerve activity was recorded. Musk said the pig lived with Chip for two months.

In April 2021, the company took its animal demonstrations a step further and showed a monkey playing a video game with its mind. Neuralink posted a video of a monkey named Pager playing the video game Pong in exchange for a banana smoothie as a reward. The pager was played with a joystick separate from the game console. In other words, the cursor is controlled by signals from the brain as the hand moves.

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How does Telepathy work?

Musk stated that his goal is to achieve a symbiosis with the use of artificial intelligence. For now they want to start with a very inclusive objective that is focused on those disabled people who feel less in society. Allowing these people to have control over a monitor, a cursor or a keyboard with just the power of their mind is impressive.

The first candidates to undergo these initial tests will be people who suffer from quadriplegia, sclerosis or a spinal cord injury. One of the main requirements that they must meet is that they be under 22 years old, since the operation, although it has minimal access, is somewhat invasive.

For this operation, an intelligent robot that is used in surgical functions will be used, so that it is effective and error-free. The microchip will be implanted, the size of which is similar to that of a coin. This is capable of emitting wireless signals that are captured by an application that decodes them and performs the desired functions.

The first patient to perform the test actually underwent surgery and the results seem to be satisfactory. Musk affirms that the volunteer is recovering well and that he is being given the necessary attention with all the special care.

When will the results of the first Telepathy test be seen?

It may be months before we know if you can successfully control a computer or other device using the implant. The patient will need to recover from surgery, but training to use the BCI will take several weeks. Neuralink patients are not the only ones receiving BCI. As part of the research, dozens of people around the world were equipped with these devices.

Over the years, these systems have allowed paralyzed people to play video games, move robotic arms, and write emails. All this just using your thoughts. Until recently, BCIs were primarily used in academic laboratories. It was not suitable for home use as it required complex modifications using large cables.

How does Neuralink work?

The Neuralink system is a wireless device and records neural activity using more than 1,000 electrodes. Each of them is separated into 64 wires thinner than a human hair. The company has also been embroiled in controversy, particularly over its handling of research animals. A WIRED report last September detailed how some of the monkeys died in brain transplant tests.

The company is reportedly under federal investigation. Reuters reported earlier this month that Neuralink was fined for violating US Department of Transportation regulations governing the transportation of hazardous materials.

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With Telepathy, humans will be able to control computers

Last May, the FDA approved Musk’s company to test the chip in humans, a major milestone after the company struggled to obtain approval. That gave the green light to begin a six-year study in which a robot would surgically insert 64 flexible threads, thinner than a human hair, into the part of the brain that controls “movement intentions,” Neuralink reports.

The company claims that using a cable, an experimental implant powered by a wirelessly rechargeable battery, can wirelessly record brain signals and transmit them to an app that determines how a person wants to move.

In a post on his social network X, formerly known as Twitter, Musk said Neuralink’s first product will be called Telepathy. According to Musk, telepathy will allow you to ” control your phone, your computer, any device, just with your thoughts.” Musk’s presence has brought glory to Neuralink, but he also faces a rival that in some cases dates back 20 years.

For example, Blackrock Neurotech, based in Utah, US, implemented the first of many brain-computer interfaces in 2004. Precision Neuroscience, the founder of Neuralink, also aims to help people with paralysis.

The implant looks like a very thin ribbon that is placed on the surface of the brain and can be implanted using a “skull chip,” according to the company. The results were also available on existing devices. Two recent studies in the United States used implants to monitor brain activity when someone tries to speak and then decode it to aid communication.