Elon Musk’s company, Neuralink, is gearing up for its inaugural brain implant surgery, targeting a volunteer willing to undergo the procedure. The surgery involves a skilled surgeon cutting into the participant’s skull to introduce electrodes and a small set of wires into their brain.
As reported by Bloomberg, Neuralink has specific criteria for the initial volunteer, seeking a quadriplegic adult under 40. The surgery necessitates removing a significant portion of the person’s skull to accommodate the insertion of thin wires and electrodes into the brain. The vacant section of the skull will be replaced with a compact computer, roughly the size of a quarter, designed to remain in place for an undisclosed number of years. This computer is expected to read the individual’s brain activity, with data accessible and trackable on a laptop or tablet.
The primary objective of the implant is to demonstrate the safety of the procedure in collecting data from the brain. It aims to facilitate the translation of a person’s thoughts into commands on a computer. The implant will be strategically placed by a robot in the hand knob area of the participant’s premotor cortex.