Jake Brigstock
Feb 20, 2024
Michael M. Santiago
Elon Musk says the first human to have a brain chip implanted is now able to move a mouse around a computer screen by only using their mind.
In an update on X Spaces, he said: "Progress seems to be good. The patient seems to have made a full recovery with no ill effects that we're aware of and is able to move a mouse around a screen just by thinking.
"We're trying to get as many button clicks as possible just by thinking now. That's what we're currently working on."
The patient had a chip called Telepathy installed by neurotechnology company Neuralink last month.
Last year, Neuralink announced it would be recruiting people with certain forms of paralysis, such as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, after being started up in 2016.
Musk says the aim is for people to be able to fully control electronic devices, such as computers and mobile phones, just by thinking.
He hopes it will then help to treat conditions such as obesity, autism, depression and schizophrenia.
The device is designed to implanted into the skull while not being visible, and would be surgically placed in a part of the brain that controls movement intention.
It's divided opinion, with a number of campaign groups and physicians worried about potential damage it could cause and the way it has been tested, but others have said it could give people the chance to lead a better.
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