Elon Musk’s strange universe of imaginings keeps growing. The eccentric visionary, known for his high-profile companies, Tesla & SpaceX, has some unusual ventures on the horizon. Neuralink, the neural-interface-technology company Musk founded in 2016, is in the process of developing two synergistic pieces of equipment with the potential to free people trapped by their own physical limitations. How you may ask, is that possible? By way of a Neuralink chip (N1 Implant) embedded into a patient’s brain. From the chip, an array of tiny wires, each roughly 20 times thinner than a human hair, fan out of 1,024 electrodes, with the ability to monitor & potentially stimulate brain activity. Data transmitted wirelessly, from the chip to computers, can then be studied by researchers. A robot designed by Neuralink could automatically implant the chip by using a stiff needle to punch the flexible wires from the chip into a person's brain, like a sewing machine. Musk says the machine could make implanting Neuralink's electrodes as easy as Lasik eye surgery, referring to the technology as a "Fitbit in your skull.” Improved neural interface technology like Neuralink's could help scientists better study & treat severe neurological conditions like Parkinson's & Alzheimer's. Another application could allow people to control robotic prostheses with their minds. Neuralink hopes to prioritize implanting its devices into quadriplegics and others with severe spinal cord injuries.
