Neuralink revealed in a statement that they will start human trials of brain implants for paralysis patients.

Neuralink, a neurotechnology startup founded by Elon Musk, has been given the go-ahead to start recruiting patients for the first-ever human trials of its brain implant for paralysis sufferers.

Neuralink revealed in a statement that patient recruitment for the clinical study has started for those with quadriplegia brought on by a cervical spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

The PRIME research, also known as the Precise Robotically Implanted Brain-Computer Interface study, involves surgically implanting a wireless brain-computer interface (BCI) in a part of the brain that regulates movement intention using a robot.

The implant, once in place, will be “cosmetically invisible” and “record and transmit brain signals wirelessly to an app that decodes movement intention,” according to the business.

Neuralink, a San Francisco-based company that Mr. Musk helped co-found in 2016, seeks to create “the first neural implant that will let you control a computer or mobile device anywhere you go,” according to its website.

The future experiment, which will likely take six years to complete, will evaluate the implant’s initial efficacy and safety before participants may use it to mentally manipulate a computer cursor or keyboard.

Neuralink’s human trial is being carried out under the investigational device exemption (IDE), after the FDA’s clearance of the device in May.

In 2020, the business successfully inserted artificial intelligence microchips into the brain of a pig called Gertie as part of its animal trials for brain implants.

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