Neuralink receives permission to test its brain implants on humans

Neuralink, the biotech company founded by Elon Musk, claims to have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). start its first human clinical trial and test brain implants where the company has been operating for many years.

In December, Musk confirmed that Neurialink would be ready to start implementing the first brain implants in six months. Implants, which, in particular, will allow recording the activity of the human brain in order to be able to transmit commands that help restore some brain functionssuch as speech or movements of the arms, legs, and arms.

A few months ago, Neuralink opened a registry so that people with motor, vision or deafness problems can register for the first trials. So far, however, the FDA has been reluctant to approve an application for a human clinical trial. Mainly for your concerns about possible technical problems with the implant. Among them is the possible overheating or leakage of chemicals from the implant into the brain tissue, as Musk himself detailed at the company’s latest annual conference.

Thus, the approval granted by the FDA marks a new milestone for the company, which so far he has been testing brain implants on animals. “This is the result of the incredible work done by the Neuralink team in close collaboration with the FDA and represents an important first step that will one day enable our technology to help many people,” the company said in a statement.

Neuralink still has a lot of work to do.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not yet issued a decision on this matter, so it is not clear what changes the company has made Elon Musk for the authority to approve the new request.

The company also may still face challenges in developing brain implantsl as a consumption component. Neuralink wants it to last 24 hours. However, its battery should be significantly smaller than any smartphone and also have a much lower voltage.

Brain chip too will be updated through a mechanism that would be placed on the headboard or some other strategic location, Musk said. This is something that can also cause problems in its development.

Neuralink, on the other hand, claims that first clinical trial kit not yet open. Remember that, according to the registry, it is for people with movement disorders such as quadriplegia or paraplegia, people with vision loss, aphasia, or deafness.