The link relayed her brain activity in real-time to a screen. The pig didn’t seem particularly aware of much and just sniffed around on her pen stage, unaware of this live feed being relayed to a bunch of surrounding scientists and viewers.
Like a Fitbit For Brain
The coin-sized device is like a “Fitbit in your skull with tiny wires” according to Musk. The chip is inserted into a tiny hole that is drilled into the skull and picks up signals from the brain using over a thousand thread-like electrodes. The chip via Bluetooth then transmits data within a range of up to 32 feet.
What Can Neuralink Do?
Since the announcement of the project in the year 2017, Neuralink’s uses come straight out of a sci-fi film Medically, the brain-machine could be potentially used to treat Parkinson’s, epilepsy, and depression, or could be used in connection with devices that control artificial limbs. Musk has pitched this as a way to “achieve a sort of symbiosis with artificial intelligence,” to prevent an AI apocalypse.
A Breakthrough Device
According to Musk the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had granted Neuralink status as a “breakthrough device” in July. This means that it’s review process could be expedited and put on track for approval as a medical device sooner than normal. The first human trials will aim to benefit people who’ve lost the movability after spinal cord injuries. “If you can sense what people want to do with their limbs, you can do a second implant where the spinal injury occurred and create a neural shunt,” he said. “I’m confident in the long term it’ll be possible to restore somebody’s full-body motion.”