Elon Musk shares update on first human to have Neuralink brain implant

Elon Musk has shared an update on the health and progress of the first human to receive the Neuralink brain implant - and apparently they've gained some impressive skills.

Musk's update came after the company Neuralink, which Musk founded in 2016, announced that it had implanted its brain chip into a human for the first time in January.

Musk initially declared the patient was 'recovering well' and that 'initial results show[ed] promising neuron spike detection'.

The implant, which is about the size of a quarter, features dozens of tiny electrodes which are implanted into the brain itself and work to relay electrical signals from neurons.

Almost one month on from the implantation, Musk shared more details about the unidentified patient in a Spaces event on X, where he said they seemed to have 'made a full recovery' with 'neural effects that we are aware of'.

"Progress is good," Musk said.

Just after Musk first announced the news that a human had received the Neuralink implant, he shared that 'the first Neuralink product is called Telepathy', and claimed it 'enables control of your phone or computer, and through them almost any device, just by thinking'.

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In his update this week, Musk indicated that the product was working as intended as he claimed the patient is 'able to move a mouse around the screen by just thinking'.

Having achieved that goal, Neuralink is now aiming to get as many mouse button clicks as possible from the patient.

Once the brain chip can be rolled out more widely, Musk said initial users will be those who have lost the use of their limbs.

"Imagine if Stephen Hawking could communicate faster than a speed typist or auctioneer. That is the goal," he wrote on X last month.

Neuralink has previously explained that it uses a robot to surgically place the implant in a region of the brain that controls the intention to move, Reuters reports.

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As well as aiding communication for people who have lost the use of their limbs, Musk has expressed hope that Neuralink could facilitate quick surgical insertions of its chip devices, which in turn could treat conditions including obesity, autism, depression, and schizophrenia.

During a recruitment event in 2022, Musk voiced plans to get one of the chips himself at some point.

"You could have a Neuralink device implanted right now and you wouldn’t even know," he said at the event. "I mean, hypothetically ... In fact, in one of these demos, I will."