Elon Musk has revealed to the public that Neuralink has been developing brain-machine interfaces during a big presentation on its research this week. The end goal of this project would eventually lead to implanting the devices in paralyzed human subjects allowing them to control phones or computers.
The Verge has reported that the company has been able to develop flexible "threads," which would less likely damage the human brain in comparison to the current materials being used in brain-machine interfaces. According to a document credited to “Elon Musk & Neuralink," the product is also capable of transferring higher volumes of data. It also states that the system could include “as many as 3,072 electrodes per array distributed across 96 threads.”
Musk has also unveiled that the threads measure at 4 to 6 μm in width making them even thinner than a strand of human hair. In addition, Neuralink is also currently developing a machine that automatically embeds them.
The technology entrepreneur has also disclosed that “a monkey has been able to control a computer with its brain.” “It’s not going to be suddenly Neuralink will have this neural lace and start taking over people’s brains,” Musk said. “Ultimately” he wants “to achieve a symbiosis with artificial intelligence.”
The company is still currently experimenting on rats to make sure the platform is stable. If the technology works, the threads will be implanted via robot surgery – straight out of a Black Mirror episode.
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