Elon Musk founded the neural tech company in 2016. This year the company showcased the
the technology it’s developing – a chip connected to wires which fan out into the human brain,
capable of both recording brain activity and stimulating it.
Musk has extolled the technology saying it could be used for people with neural conditions
and disorders but has also predicted it could enable human “symbiosis with artificial
intelligence.”
The big reveal was a tiny microchip that could, theoretically, be implanted behind a person’s
ear with tiny threads containing electrodes fanning out into the brain.
‘Concept and Theory‘
The concept is described by Musk as the Fitbit for the brain. It will not work for mind uploading
but will help advance this area of research. It is also very commercially viable as it will help
understand many diseases and may be used for clinical research and formulating disease
hypotheses.
Theoretically, these devices could improve memory and allow direct interfacing with
computers. The devices would be completely integrated with the human brain and would give
the brain the ability to connect with the cloud as well as with other brains – wirelessly.
However, Scientists have already created devices capable of both interpreting brain activity and
stimulating the neurons in the brain. A memorable demonstration of the technology was in
2012 when paralyzed patients were able to control a robotic arm.
But, Elon Musk doesn’t want to stick with what is already possible. He said, in
classic Muskian style, that apart from treating neural conditions such as Parkinson’s, he hopes
that Neuralink could one day facilitate a “symbiosis” between humans and AI. He also excitedly
announced that the company had successfully got a monkey to “control a computer with its
brain,” and that Neuralink hopes to start human testing “before the end of next year.”
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