Elon Musk’s Company Neuralink Looking For First Volunteer To Have Robot Insert Wires Inside Their Skull

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Elon Musk's company is seeking a volunteer for an odd experiment.

Evidently, billionaire Musk—who also owns the company Neuralink—thinks that venturing beyond cyberspace and actual space is insufficient.

To put it plainly, Neuralink is investigating the possibility of implanting chips into patients' brains to aid in the restoration of lost limb function.

DJ Seo, the founder of Neurolink, stated to Bloomberg News: “The short-term goal of the company is to build a generalized brain interface and restore autonomy to those with debilitating neurological conditions and unmet medical needs."

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The only drawback is that they will require volunteers in order to test the device's functionality on a real human.

This implies that someone will have to offer their consent to having a robot drill a hole in their skull and insert a device.

It will consist of a quarter-sized chip and tiny wires and electrodes that are thinner than human hair.

The company had intended to obtain FDA approval for the installation of this device in ten individuals, but they later negotiated a lower number.

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It's unclear how many patients were actually accepted.

Musk, though, isn't content to stop at obstacles to mobility.

He also hopes to "treat" developmental disorders like autism with the chips, as well as mental health issues like schizophrenia and depression.

Neuralink claims that its technology will "unlock human potential" and that its ultimate goals go beyond merely medical uses.

Seo said: “The long-term goal is to have this available for billions of people and unlock human potential and go beyond our biological capabilities.”

However the company has already faced challenges in its growth; in 2022, a federal investigation was launched due to staff protests against the testing of animals.

Employees at Neuralink reportedly complained to Reuters that animal testing was being "rushed."

According to a Reuters investigation, since 2018, the corporation has murdered almost 1,500 animals for trials, including over 280 sheep, pigs, and monkeys.

This information was discovered in December 2022.

Employees stated that Musk's demands for more testing progress may have led to more animal fatalities than necessary, even though the deaths themselves do not necessarily violate US regulations on animal testing.

It's evident that things have advanced since the business is now considering the possibility of doing human testing.

As the company contemplates human testing, it faces the delicate task of ensuring ethical standards are upheld, emphasizing the importance of transparency and accountability in the pursuit of groundbreaking medical advancements.