By Redaccion
[email protected]
Elon Musk announced that a third patient has received a brain implant from his company Neuralink, which develops brain-computer interface (BCI) technology.
This rapidly growing field aims to connect the human nervous system to machines.
“We now have three people with Neuralink implants, and all are working well,” Musk said during an interview at an event in Las Vegas, streamed on his social media platform X.
Advancements in Neuralink Devices
Since the first brain implant about a year ago, Neuralink has enhanced its devices, adding more electrodes, increasing bandwidth, and extending battery life. Musk also stated that the company plans to implant 20 to 30 additional devices this year as part of its experimental phase.
While Musk did not share details about the third patient, updates were provided on the first two. The second recipient, who suffered a spinal cord injury and received the implant last summer, is using the device to play video games and learn to design 3D objects using computer-aided design (CAD) software. The first patient, also paralyzed due to a spinal cord injury, reported using the implant to play video games and chess.
Competition in the BCI Field
Neuralink is not alone in developing brain-computer interface technology. According to a U.S. database, there are currently over 45 clinical trials exploring BCIs. These studies aim to treat brain disorders, overcome neurological injuries, and investigate other potential applications.
Rajesh Rao, co-director of the Center for Neurotechnology at the University of Washington, noted that many research labs have already demonstrated that humans can accurately control computer cursors using BCIs. Neuralink stands out for two reasons: its use of a robotic system to implant flexible electrodes into the brain to record neural activity, and the ability of those electrodes to gather data from more neurons than competing technologies.
However, Rao pointed out that other companies have outpaced Neuralink in certain areas. Firms like Synchron, Blackrock Neurotech, and Onward Medical are already conducting human trials with less invasive methods or more versatile technologies that combine neural recording with stimulation.
Potential Benefits of BCIs
Marco Baptista, Chief Scientific Officer of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, described BCIs as an “exciting” technology with the potential to transform the lives of people with paralysis.
“Through clinical trials, we’ll see which approach proves to be the most effective,” Baptista said, although he emphasized that it is still too early to draw definitive conclusions.
His foundation supports research teams with funding and expert advice, though it has not provided financial aid to Neuralink. Baptista added that high-risk projects like these, despite their uncertainty, could yield significant rewards. “We don’t yet know how safe or feasible this will be, but these initiatives deserve support,” he said.
Testing and Regulation of BCIs
Neuralink announced in 2023 that it had received authorization from U.S. regulators to begin testing its devices in humans. High-risk medical devices like these require an “investigational device exemption” from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before they can enter the market.
While Neuralink claims to have obtained this exemption, the FDA has not confirmed or disclosed details about the study. According to Dr. Rita Redberg, a cardiologist at the University of California, San Francisco, who studies high-risk devices, the FDA oversees every step of the process, from patient recruitment to data analysis, with safety as its top priority.
Additionally, all research involving human participants must be approved by an institutional review board (IRB), also known as an ethics committee. These boards evaluate the risks and benefits for participants and ensure they are fully informed before joining a study.
“The role of these boards is to ensure there is a reasonable risk-benefit ratio and that patients are aware of this before enrolling,” explained Redberg.
The Future of Brain-Computer Interfaces
As Neuralink and other companies continue their research, the potential of brain-computer interface technology is garnering global attention. While much remains to be discovered, this technology promises to revolutionize the treatment of neurological injuries and diseases, offering new hope to those affected by these conditions.
