Neuralink, a neuro-implant company owned by Elon Musk has received an approval from US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct first human trial for its brain implant.
Neuralink, a neuro-implant company owned by Elon Musk has received an approval from US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct first human trial for its brain implant.
The company in a tweet said
“we are excited to share that we have received the FDA’s approval to launch our first-in-human clinical study! This is the result of incredible work by the Neuralink team in close collaboration with the FDA and represents an important first step that will one day allow our technology to help many people”
The microchip which is the size of a coin have been tested in monkeys. The implant according to the company will be surgically inserted by replacing a piece of the skull with the aid of a surgical robot with the chips’ wires cautiously inserted into the brain.
The device is intended to register brain signals and transmit the information through bluetooth devices to an app on either mobile phone or other computers. Neuralink and many experts believe that the implant may treat conditions such as paralysis, blindness, brain disorders, spinal cord injuries, and several other conditions.
The idea and current approval have raised several concerns. While the idea is exciting to some, others worry about its safety, reliability and even privacy concerns. Experts have cautioned that the implant will require extensive evaluation to address its technicalities and ethical challenges. However, the company have said that its engineering process prioritizes safety and reliability of the brain chip.
Neuralink was co-founded by Elon Musk in 2016. Its previous attempt to gain approval from FDA for first human test of the chips in early 2022 was rejected due several concerns including ethical issues. The current approval comes as legislators have requested a probe aboutt the team which oversaw the animal testing of the implants for possible violations of Animal Welfare Act.
According Neuralink, recruitment is not yet open for the clinical trial and would be announced soon.
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