Neuralink

  

Neuralink is a neurotechnology company that was founded by Elon Musk in 2016. Basically, what it will focus on is making technology enable people to have direct communication of the human brain with computers. Medical conditions that it would help treat include paralysis, loss of memory, and neurological disorders and applications involving improved human cognition or integration with artificial intelligence.

Key Information about Neuralink

Company type	Private
Founded	June 21, 2016
Founder	Elon Musk
Headquarters	Fremont, California, United States
Key people	Jared Birchall (CEO)

Brain computer interface (BCI):

BCI: A technology that establishes an immediate communication pathway between the brain and an external device, say a computer or robotic system. BCIs interpret neural signals and translate them to commands to perform various tasks, thereby enabling control of devices purely through thought.

Types:

• Invasive BCIs: Require surgical implantation into the brain. They offer higher precision but carry surgical risks.

• Non-Invasive BCIs: Use external sensors, making them safer but often less accurate and slower.

Applications:

Medical:

• Assistive devices for paralyzed individuals, say controlling a robotic arm.
• Restoration of lost sensory functions, for example: vision or hearing
• Neurorehabilitation for stroke patients and brain injuries

Non-Medical

• Brain-controlled gaming or virtual reality experiences
• Drone or prosthetic limbs controlled by the brain.

Feature of Neuralink (N1 link chip):

1. Neural Implants (N1 Link Chip)

• Size and Design:Coin-sized implant embedded in the skull
• Electrodes:Sees ultra-thin, flexible polymer threads connected to the brain. Those threads are thinner than a human hair and thus do less damage to tissues in the brain.
• Neural Signal Processing:High-resolution reading and stimulation of neural activity to interact precisely with the signals of the brain.
• Wireless Communication:In this way, the device communicates with external devices using Bluetooth-like technology.

2. Surgical Robot

• Purpose: Automates the sensitive procedure of electrode implantation in the brain.
• Precision: Can be used to insert threads into targeted areas of the brain while avoiding blood vessels in order to reduce the risks involved.
• Speed: It is designed for fast implantation, ensuring outpatient procedures may soon become possible.

3. Real-Time Neural Data Acquisition

• High-Bandwidth Data: Brain data can be harvested in huge quantities for analysis.
• Closed-Loop Interaction: The chip reads signals and sends electrical pulses to stimulate neural activity. It allows control based on feedback.

4. Applications and Capabilities

• Restoration of Motility: Paralyzed patients can control computer or even robotic arms
• Restoration of Sensory Abilities: It is likely to restore vision or hearing through neural activation
• Communication: Users may "type" or control objects using their thoughts.
• Memory Assistance: May improve the ability to store or retrieve memories in the future

5. Scalability

• Multiple Chips: Multiple devices can be implanted in the brain for broader applications or more detailed data collection.

6. Long-Term Vision

• Symbiosis with AI: the merging of human intelligence and artificial intelligence.
• Mind-to-Mind Communication: Possible direct communication without speech or text.
• Cognitive Enhancement: In the future, it could enhance memory, learning, or problem-solving abilities.

7. User Interface

• Wearable Devices: The Link Chip Communicates wirelessly with external devices, that are controlled through an simple application or system
• Non-Obstructive Use: Not noticeable once implanted and designed to be used without any inconvenience.

8. Safety and Longevity

• Biocompatibility: Made of materials intended for safe long term implantation
• Battery Life: Built for long term use, with recharging via wireless

9. Regulatory Landmarks

• FDA approval for human testing: Neuralink was allowed to test its technology on humans. That is one major step towards validation of its technology for medical use.

10. Equity Targets

• Neuralink wants its surgeries to be efficient and eventual cost-effective. Advanced BCIs should hence be easily accessible in the future.

First Paitent to get Neuralink:

First Patient to get Elon Musk's Neuralink Brain Implant Chip

Background

• Noland Arbaugh is 30 years old, a quadriplegic, and one of the first individuals who volunteered for Neuralink's clinical trial in January. He suffered a severe spinal cord injury while swimming in a lake in 2016.

• About the size of a coin, the Neuralink implant is embedded beneath the skull but is equipped with 64 wires-wires or threads-and more than 1,000 electrodes that can read neuron activity in the brain. It can be connected to a computer or smartphone. 

Experience

• Arbaugh taught computer programs to interpret the firings of neurons in his brain as cursor movements. He was so enthusiastic with himself but the machine had obvious flaws: