Elon Musk voiced chipping merits
Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX, is confident that a chip implanted in the brain will enable people to listen to music without other devices, monitor their health and compete with artificial intelligence according to LADbible.
Musk is sure the technologies developed by his startup Neuralink should improve people’s lives. For example, a new brain chip will direct music directly to the brain.
The inventor also spoke about the possibilities of chipping in medicine. He states that Neuralink can help control hormone levels. This, in turn, can increase mindfulness and concentration and relieve anxiety. In addition, Musk does not exclude that the chip will be able to fight addictions and depression.
Initially, the technology can be used to help people with brain diseases, including Parkinson’s disease. The main goal of connecting the human brain to a computer, according to Musk is to enable people to compete with advanced artificial intelligence.
The entrepreneur compared a Neuralink implant installation to laser eye surgery.
Testing of the new technology has already begun on animals. Human trials are planned for the end of this year.
Neurotechnological company Neuralink was founded by Musk in 2016 and has attracted more than $150 million in investment. The company’s current goal is to adapt the technology to treat patients with quadriplegia (partial or complete paralysis of all limbs) usually resulting from spinal cord injury.
Neuralink technology was officially introduced in 2019. From the presentation, it is known that the company is developing a special chip N1. It is assumed that four of these chips will be installed in the human brain. Three will be located in the area of the brain responsible for motor skills, and one in the somatosensory area (responsible for our body’s perception of external stimuli).
Each chip has very thin electrodes, no thicker than a human hair, which will be implanted into the brain with laser precision using a special technology. These electrodes will be used to stimulate neurons.
The chips will also be connected to an inductor, which will be linked to an external battery installed behind the ear. The final version of the Neuralink device will be connected wirelessly via Bluetooth. Thanks to this, paralyzed people will be able to control their smartphones, computers, and advanced prosthetic limbs.
Musk said last year that the prototype chip was successfully installed and tested on a monkey and a mouse. The Primate experiment involved leading experts from the University of California. According to Musk, the result was extremely positive.
Earlier, Musk also explained that the brain consists of two systems. The first layer is the limbic system, which controls the transmission of neural impulses. The second layer is the cortex system, which controls the limbic system and acts as a layer of intelligence. Neuralink can become the third layer, and once on top of the other two, work with them together.
Musk believes Neuralink will one day enable people to communicate with each other without words on a telepathic level. According to him, Neuralink will be able to restore lost vision even if the optic nerve is damaged. In addition, the technology will also to return hearing.
The Neuralink founder added that there is still a lot of work ahead. The technology has not been tested on humans, but it will happen soon.