American billionaire Elon Muskʼs neurotechnology company “Neuralink” has been granted approval for a new CONVOY study that will test brain implants to control a robotic arm with the power of thought.
This was reported by the company itself.
The research will test the N1 implant — so they want to extend control over the brain-computer interface to a robotic arm.
The company notes that this is a step towards restoring not only digital, but also physical freedom.
“Neuralink” will provide details later, but it has already said that CONVOY will run concurrently with PRIMEʼs preliminary brain chip trials.
What preceded
“Neuralink” first presented the technology of implanting “threads” that read information into the brain in the summer of 2019. The purpose of the development is to implant "threads" in paralyzed people, which will allow them to work with computers and telephones "with the power of thought". Musk expects that in the future this technology will help people communicate telepathically and download foreign languages.
In August 2020, “Neuralink” successfully implanted a chip in a pig, connecting its brain to a computer. In February 2021, the company successfully implanted a neuroimplant into the brain of a monkey and even taught it to play a video game. Already in 2022, the company began to be accused of deadly experiments on animals. In May 2023, the US regulator nevertheless allowed “Neuralink” to test brain implants on humans.
“Neuralink” is still testing its device, designed to help people with spinal cord injuries. The first patient, who was implanted with a brain chip in March of this year, can already play video games, browse the Internet, post on social networks and move the cursor on his laptop by himself, just with the help of thought.
In August, a second person was implanted with a brain chip.
And in November, the company received the first permit for a clinical trial of a brain implant in Canada.
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