Neuralink Begins First Human Experiments!

Summary

Elon Musk's Neuralink has initiated a groundbreaking human trial, implanting a device with 64 wires and electrodes into a patient's brain, aiming to restore autonomy for those with severe disabilities. The 'telepathy' application allows users to control devices with thoughts, while 'blindsight' could potentially restore vision to the blind. Competitors like Synchron and Black Rock neurotech are also advancing brain-computer interfaces, but Neuralink's high bandwidth potential positions it as a frontrunner in this revolutionary field.

Takeaways

• 📌 Neuralink, Elon Musk's brain implant company, has initiated its first human trials, marking a controversial step in medical experimentation.
• 🤖 The first patient, referred to as 'patient zero,' underwent a procedure to implant 64 wires with microscopic electrodes into their cerebral cortex, along with a small battery-powered computer device.
• 🔋 Elon Musk confirmed that patient zero survived the procedure and is showing promising results in neuron spike detection, indicating the device is functioning as intended.
• 💡 The initial application demonstrated by Neuralink is 'telepathic typing' and cursor control, allowing users to interact with computers through thought alone.
• 📱 The first software application for Neuralink is called 'telepathy,' which aims to enable control of smartphones and other devices via thought.
• 🧠 The Neuralink device is designed to help restore autonomy to individuals with extreme physical disabilities, such as full-body paralysis.
• 👁️ A second application in development, 'blindsight,' suggests the potential for Neuralink to restore eyesight to the blind by transmitting digital vision directly to the brain.
• 🔮 Elon Musk has hinted at the broader potential of Neuralink, including curing brain diseases, correcting mental illnesses, and interfacing with artificial superintelligence.
• 🌐 The script also mentions Synchron, a competitor in the BCI space, which has completed its first round of human trials with a less invasive stent-based procedure.
• 🏁 Black Rock neurotech, another competitor, has been involved in BCI technology for nearly two decades, demonstrating capabilities such as telepathic control of computers and robotic arms.
• 🚀 The high bandwidth connection provided by Neuralink's thousands of electrodes suggests a vast potential for future capabilities that are currently beyond comprehension.

Q & A

What significant event occurred at Neuralink on January 28th, 2024?

On January 28th, 2024, Neuralink carried out their first robotic operation on a human brain, successfully implanting a device with 64 wires and a small battery-powered computer into a patient's cerebral cortex.

What is the patient's condition after the Neuralink procedure?

Elon Musk confirmed that the patient, referred to as 'patient zero,' survived the procedure in good health and is recovering well.

What is the initial application demonstrated by Neuralink for its device?

The initial application demonstrated by Neuralink is telepathic typing and cursor control, allowing the user to write messages, open applications, browse the web, and play video games just by thinking about the movement of the cursor.

What is the purpose of the Neuralink device for its initial clinical trial?

The purpose of the initial clinical trial for Neuralink is to help restore some level of autonomy to people suffering from extreme physical disabilities, such as full-body paralysis.

How does the Neuralink device interact with external devices?

The Neuralink device can control any external device that is connected to the user's computer or smartphone, essentially allowing the user to control various aspects of their environment through telepathy.

What is the concept of 'Blindsight' in the context of Neuralink?

Blindsight is a concept being explored by Neuralink that aims to restore eyesight to the blind by beaming digital vision from a camera directly into the brain.

What is the difference between the Neuralink implant and Synchron's Stentrode device?

The Neuralink implant involves 64 tiny wires with electrodes inserted directly into the brain tissue, while Synchron's Stentrode uses a stent-based procedure to place electrodes inside a blood vessel adjacent to the brain.

How does the Black Rock neurotech approach compare to Neuralink in terms of invasiveness and technology?

Black Rock neurotech uses an array of stiff, straight electrode pins that penetrate the brain surface, which is more invasive than Neuralink's thin, flexible wires. However, Black Rock has been involved in BCI technology for almost 20 years and has a long list of accomplishments.

What potential long-term applications does Elon Musk envision for Neuralink?

Elon Musk has speculated on various potential outcomes for Neuralink, including curing brain diseases, correcting mental illnesses, ending obesity, and interfacing the human brain with artificial superintelligence.

What is the current status of Neuralink's competition in the BCI market?

Neuralink faces competition from other BCI startups like Synchron, which has already completed its first round of human trials, and Black Rock neurotech, which has been conducting trials for nearly two decades.

How does the Neuralink device's potential compare to other BCI technologies in terms of bandwidth and capabilities?

The Neuralink device has the potential for a much higher bandwidth connection between the brain and computer due to its thousands of electrodes going 2 mm deep, which could eventually surpass the capabilities of other BCI technologies like Black Rock's.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 Neuralink's Human Trials and Telepathy Application

Elon Musk's Neuralink has initiated its first human trials, implanting 64 wires with microscopic electrodes into a patient's cerebral cortex, along with a small battery-powered computer. This groundbreaking procedure has been successful, with 'Patient Zero' recovering well and demonstrating neuron spike detection. The primary application, 'Telepathy,' aims to allow users to control devices with their thoughts. This technology could potentially restore autonomy to individuals with severe physical disabilities, enabling them to perform tasks such as writing messages, browsing the web, and controlling IoT devices through neural activation.

05:02

🌌 The Future of BCI: Neuralink's Competition and Potential

While Neuralink garners significant attention, it faces competition from other BCI startups like Synchron, which uses a less invasive stent-based procedure to access the brain. Synchron has already completed human trials with 10 patients, achieving similar telepathic control as Neuralink's 'Telepathy' system. However, Neuralink's more invasive approach with 1,024 electrodes suggests a higher potential for future capabilities. Elon Musk has speculated on Neuralink's ability to cure brain diseases, correct mental illnesses, and interface with AI, although these remain unproven. Black Rock neurotech, another competitor with a history of successful trials, demonstrates the potential for BCI to perform remarkable feats, setting the stage for Neuralink to potentially exceed these achievements.

10:02

🎖️ Black Rock Neurotech: A Pioneer in Invasive BCI

Black Rock neurotech, a pioneer in invasive BCI technology, has conducted human trials since the early 2000s, utilizing an array of stiff electrode pins to connect with the brain. Despite the primitive approach compared to Neuralink's precision, Black Rock has enabled telepathic computer control and even restored mobility to accident victims. Their accomplishments highlight the significant bandwidth and potential of direct brain-computer connections. Neuralink, with its more advanced technology, is poised to build upon this foundation, potentially achieving even more profound impacts on human capabilities and interactions with technology.

Keywords

💡Neuralink

Neuralink is Elon Musk's brain implant company that is developing a brain-computer interface (BCI). It is central to the video's theme, which discusses the company's advancements and implications. The script mentions Neuralink's first human patient and the capabilities of the N1 chip, illustrating the company's progress in merging human cognition with technology.

💡Cyborg Revolution

The term 'cyborg revolution' refers to the hypothetical future where humans integrate technology into their bodies to enhance physical or cognitive abilities. In the script, it is used to describe the potential societal impact of Neuralink's technology, suggesting a transformative era where humans might become part-machine entities.

💡Telepathy

In the context of the video, 'telepathy' is the first application of Neuralink's technology, allowing users to control devices with their thoughts. It is a key concept illustrating the potential of BCI to enable new forms of interaction between humans and technology, as demonstrated by the script's mention of controlling smartphones and computers through thought.

💡Blindsight

Blindsight is a proposed application for Neuralink that aims to restore vision to the blind by transmitting digital images directly to the brain. The script describes it as a future possibility, showcasing the ambitious goals of Neuralink to not only enhance human capabilities but also to address disabilities.

💡N1 Chip

The N1 Chip is the device implanted in Neuralink's first human patient, responsible for detecting neuron spikes and converting them into computer language. It is a crucial component of the technology discussed in the video, as it bridges the gap between neural signals and digital commands.

💡Microscopic Electrode Sensors

These sensors are part of the Neuralink implant, designed to detect and transmit neural activity. The script mentions that each wire contains 16 of these sensors, highlighting the precision and complexity of the technology used to interface with the human brain.

💡Cerebral Cortex

The cerebral cortex is the outer layer of the brain involved in higher cognitive functions. In the script, it is the target area for the Neuralink implant, emphasizing the direct interaction between the technology and the region responsible for thought and decision-making.

💡Full Body Paralysis

The script notes that initial Neuralink users are individuals with full body paralysis, indicating the technology's potential to restore autonomy to those with severe physical disabilities. This context frames the humanitarian aspect of Neuralink's first clinical trials.

💡Internet of Things (IoT)

IoT refers to the network of physical devices, vehicles, and other items embedded with sensors and software that enable them to connect and exchange data. The video discusses how Neuralink's telepathy application could control IoT devices, illustrating the broad implications of BCI for smart home technology.

💡Synchron

Synchron is a BCI startup company mentioned in the script, which has completed its first round of human trials. It represents competition in the BCI field and offers a less invasive approach to brain interfacing, contrasting with Neuralink's more direct method of implantation.

💡Black Rock Neurotech

Black Rock Neurotech is another company in the BCI space with a history of successful trials and accomplishments. The script positions it as a pioneer in invasive BCI, providing a historical context and a benchmark for Neuralink's progress and potential.

Highlights

Neuralink has begun its first human trial, marking a significant step in the field of brain-computer interfaces.

The first patient, referred to as 'patient zero', underwent a procedure involving the implantation of 64 wires with microscopic electrodes into the cerebral cortex.

A small battery-powered computer device, the N1 chip, was implanted inside the patient's skull, which was powered on for the first time in a human.

Elon Musk confirmed the successful procedure and the patient's good health, indicating promising neuron spike detection capabilities of the Neuralink device.

The first software application, 'telepathy', is aimed at enabling users to control smartphones or computers through thought.

The potential of Neuralink extends to controlling any external device connected to a computer or smartphone, theoretically allowing control over nearly anything.

Neuralink's initial clinical trial aims to restore autonomy to individuals with extreme physical disabilities, such as full-body paralysis.

Demonstrated applications include telepathic typing and cursor control, expanding the capabilities of users with physical limitations.

Neuralink's technology could potentially interface with IoT devices, offering a new level of accessibility and control.

Elon Musk teased a second application, 'blindsight', which may restore eyesight to the blind by transmitting digital vision directly into the brain.

The concept of 'blindsight' involves converting digital signals into neuron activations, offering a new form of visual input.

Neuralink's potential is vast, with speculative outcomes like curing brain diseases and interfacing with artificial superintelligence.

Black Rock neurotech, another BCI company, has a history of successful trials and accomplishments, providing a benchmark for Neuralink's future progress.

Synchron, a US-based BCI startup funded by Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, has completed human trials with a less invasive procedure using a stent-based method.

The competition in the BCI field is heating up, with companies like Synchron and Black Rock neurotech posing as significant players alongside Neuralink.

The long-term outlook for Neuralink is expansive, with the potential to far exceed current capabilities and redefine human-computer interaction.

The year ahead is expected to bring groundbreaking discoveries in BCI technology, further pushing the boundaries of what is possible with the human brain.

Transcripts

in the latest update from Elon musk's

brain implant company neuralink we have

learned the fate of their very first

human

patient neuralink has begun the most

controversial medical experiment of the

21st century bringing science fiction

into a real world that might not be

ready for the consequences of a cyborg

revolution neuralink has arrived now

what comes next

on Sunday January 28th 2024 Elon musk's

neuralink carried out their first

robotic operation on a human brain the

patient was implanted with a total of 64

wires directly into the tissue of their

cerebral cortex each wire containing 16

microscopic electrode sensors and then a

very small battery powered computer

device was nestled inside inside this

person's skull before the incision was

sealed up and the N1 chip was powered on

for the first time inside a live human

being Elon Musk has confirmed that

patient zero survived the procedure in

good health and is recovering well Elon

also noted that the neuralink device has

already begun to show promising neuron

Spike detection ever since the concept

was introduced 8 years ago nurlink has

felt like a purely speculative techn

fantasy but in 2024 neuralink is real

and it works he did it he really did it

Elon put a fit bit inside someone's

skull so now what well Elon Musk

promises that the first neuralink

product that will be tested is called

telepathy and by that he means the first

software application that will harness

the capability of the N1 device that is

currently resting inside the skull of at

least one human being I'm not getting

getting over that anytime soon nurlink

telepathy will enable the user to

control a smartphone or computer simply

by thinking and by extension the nurlink

patient can use telepathy to control any

external device that is connected to

their computer or smartphone so in

theory telepathy should allow the user

to reach out and control pretty much

anything it is important to acknowledge

right now that neuralink has not just

created a superhuman cyborg in fact our

patient zero and all of the other

initial users of neuralink are people

suffering from an extreme physical

disability full body paralysis so the

purpose of this first clinical trial for

neuralink is to help restore some level

of autonomy to people who have the least

the initial application that neuralink

has demonstrated is telepathic typing

and cursor control just by thinking

about the movement of the cursor on a

computer screen the neuralink will

enable a user to write messages open

applications browse the web and even

play video games this is all stuff that

has already been demonstrated in the

company's monkey experiments for years

now so this is what we can assume the

first human neural users are doing right

now and as Elon pointed out if you can

use a smartphone you can operate any

smart device that is linked to that

phone so even without having to move or

speak a patient could change their

thermostat dim the lights open the

blinds activate the Roomba lock their

doors all of these Internet of Things

enabled devices are now accessible

through neuralink telepathy but that's

not all that Elon Musk has in mind for

neural Link's first human trials Elon

also teased that neuralink is working on

a second application that will join

telepathy this one is called blindsight

Elon has been surprisingly optimistic in

recent months that even an early version

of neuralink could restore eyesight to

the blind the idea here is that the N1

implant could be used to beam digital

vision from a camera directly into the

brain this one is a little further out

but in theory it is possible so with

telepathy the nurlink device is being

used exclusively as a transmitter the

implanted wires are picking up neural

activation signals from inside the

cerebral cortex and then those signals

are converted into computer language by

the N1 chip and Broad cast via Bluetooth

into a nearby computer or device if this

is possible then it would stand to

reason that you could flip the process

and transmit digital information from a

device through Bluetooth into the N1

implant which would then convert the

digital signal into neuron activations

to accomplish this the implant would

send electrical pulses through the tiny

wires into the brain tissue to stimulate

the neuron response if those wires were

implanted directly into the visual Cort

region of the brain the specific

patterns of neuron activation should be

interpreted by the brain as visual input

so even a person who has never seen with

their eyes before would be able to

visualize the world around them now this

won't be anything like having real

eyesight but a low resolution black and

white image should be possible as long

as we can activate the right neurons in

the right patterns imagine something

like an old Atari video game from the

1970s where each pixel on the screen is

either on or off the graphics were very

limited but you could still create a

recognizable image and just like video

game technology has improved over the

decades to become more and more detailed

the same thing could be done with this

new digital brain Vision only progress

will happen much much faster thanks to

machine learning hey everyone as we

cruise through the Super Highway of

innovation I've stumbled upon something

electrifying and I just had to plug you

in let's rev up our excitement for

novi's hover pen a true symbol of sleek

design and advanced engineering so what

makes the hover pen so electrifying well

award-winning design the interstellar

edition of the hover pen isn't just

another writing tool it was heralded as

one of the best inventions of 2022 by

time a testament to its unique design

and functionality you can spin the hover

pen on its base and it feels like the

pen is in a gravity-free space it's

truly the coolest pen for any space

Enthusiast Stellar inspiration priced at

$99 the interstellar Edition beautifully

captures the Earth's axis inclination at

a 23.5° angle the colors are simply out

of this world from the deep expanse of

space black the Shimmer of Starlight

silver the fiery Mars magma to the

Serene Neptune blue for those who crave

exclusivity there are the premium

editions the radiance of 18 karat gold

plating and even a version with an

actual meteorite Shard embedded the

future Edition novium isn't stopping

there their latest Masterpiece the

future Edition priced at

$149 is a twoin one Marvel fountain pen

or roller bar you get to choose with its

interchangeable tip and for those who

value unparalleled luxury there's a

Premium Edition featuring an 18 solid

carat gold nib whether you're treating

yourself or searching for that perfect

gift for a loved one hover pens are more

than just writing instruments they are a

blend of Art and the mysteries of space

offering an unrivaled writing experience

and serving as a Timeless piece of

luxury for the Tesla Titans of my

community here's an electrifying offer

use code Tesla space and grab a 10%

discount along with free shipping on all

hover pens race into a world of luxury

and design by clicking the link below

I'm also eager to know which addition

caught your eye and why share your

thoughts in the comments below while

neuralink has always been the biggest

headline grabbing product in the modern

world of brain computer interface elon's

company is really just one piece of a

much larger puzzle that neuroscientists

have been trying to solve for decades

how do we understand the human brain the

pursuit of decoding the human brain will

become a multi-trillion dollar industry

in the decades to come and neuralink

will have no shortage of competition but

in true Elon Musk fashion his radical

pursuit of innovation might stand the

best chance of coming out on top

synchron is another us-based BCI startup

company that has already completed their

first round of human trials in 2023

implanting 10 patients with their own

neuron sensing electrodes this company

is important to watch because it is

currently being funded by Jeff Bezos and

Bill Gates two wealthy and Powerful

individuals who do not seem to like Elon

Musk very much the method used by

synchron to access the brain is

considerably less invasive than the

procedure being done at neuralink which

is a big factor in allowing human trials

at synchron to move at a faster pace

instead of approaching the brain through

the skull synchron uses a stent-based

procedure that they call a Sten Road a

stent is basically just a wire that is

inserted into a blood vessel which is

just a large vein they're like the

highways of the circulatory system

typically doctors will use a stent to

free up a blockage inside the vessel

that might cause a heart attack or

stroke in the case of the Sten Road the

device is using a primary blood vessel

as an express lane directly from the

chest into the cerebral cortex once the

stod arrives in the brain to an area

directly below the motor cortex an

expandable mesh is deployed that

interfaces with the walls of the vessel

and this mesh contains 16 electrode

sensors that can begin detecting and

transmitting neural activity back down

Through the Wire and into a device that

is attached to the patient's chest so

how does that compare to neuralink well

let's go back to what we were just

talking about at the beginning the first

neuralink patient has had 64 tiny wires

inserted into the surface of their brain

by an ultra precise surgical robot and

each wire contains 16 electrodes just in

the microscopic tip that goes around 2

mm deep into the brain tissue that is a

total of

1,24 individual electrodes that are

distributed across the circular hole

that's been cut into the patient's skull

and then looking at our stod again we

have 16 electrodes placed inside a blood

vessel that is adjacent to the brain

material we want to monitor even with

this significant disadvantage on paper

in practice the synchron BCI is

currently able to achieve the exact same

function that neuralink is demonstrating

with their current telepathy system

basic control over a keyboard mouse and

smartphone device and synchron currently

has 10 active human patients in their

initial feasibility study that began in

the summer of 2022

so a pretty significant Head Start in

product development but the biggest

problem with synchron is that they've

already pretty much reached their full

potential with the stod system

controlling a smartphone telepathically

is about all that this particular style

of implant can really accomplish which

is still cool but it doesn't exactly

provide much of an outlook for the

future while if we apply the same logic

to neuralink then we can assume that the

current telepathy application is is only

using something like 164 or less of the

total potential that the hardware is

capable of which gives neuralink a

long-term Outlook that is almost Beyond

Comprehension Elon Musk has speculated a

lot of potential outcomes like curing

brain disease correcting mental illness

ending obesity and interfacing the human

brain with an artificial super

intelligence now there is obviously no

evidence to say that neuralink actually

can do any of those things but there's

just as little concrete proof to say

that it can't all we really know is that

we don't know the full potential of the

neuralink hardware but we can take a

look at another BCI technology that is

as close to neuralink as anyone else has

come this is Black Rock neurotech it

sounds like a scary name and it kind of

is Black Rock along with another company

called Vanguard are famous for owning

the entire world BCI technology is one

of the longest plays that black rock has

been involved with conducting their

first human trial almost 20 years ago

Black Rock neurotech are one of the

pioneers of the invasive BCI which is

the same category that nuring falls

under meaning that the operation has to

go in through the skull and gain access

to the surface of the brain obviously

microscopic electrode wires and high

Precision surgical robots didn't really

exist 20 years ago so the best option

available at the time time was an array

of stiff straight electrode pins due to

the larger size and rigidity of the pins

in the Black Rock array they can't

penetrate as deep into the tissue as a

neuralink thread but even still that

direct connection through hundreds of

electrode pins can provide a significant

amount of bandwidth between the brain

and the computer even with their

relatively primitive approach Black Rock

has already demonstrated telepathic

control over a computer many years ago

they've allowed people to control

robotic arms just by thinking they've

even allowed a man who lost the use of

his legs in a traffic accident to walk

again on his own so while their

technology approach may be a bit

primitive by Modern Standard the list of

accomplishments at Black Rock is

extensive something that will take

neuralink a very long time to match but

it won't take them very much longer to

exceed if the Black Rock array can

seemingly perform Miracles with hundreds

of electrodes penetrating 1 mm deep then

what can be accomplished with thousands

of electrodes going 2 mm deep so again

the long-term perspective is what makes

neuralink so captivating there is no

other device on the market or even in

concept that will provide such a high

bandwidth connection between brain and

computer and neuralink is literally just

getting started this year is going to

reveal some crazy disc discoveries that

will redefine what we consider to be

possible with the human brain so stay

tuned