Musk's Neuralink chip enables paralysed woman to write, draw using her mind

Neuralink is a brain-computer interface company founded by Elon Musk in 2016 that uses a tiny chip implant in the brain to enable it to send neural signals to some external device

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Elon Musk’s Neuralink brain implant has enabled a woman, Audrey Crews, paralysed for two decades, to control a computer using her thoughts. She shared posts on her X account @NeuraNova9, showing her first attempt to write her name through mental commands. The technology used in this process is known as a brain-computer interface (BCI).

 

In another post, she shared some pictures of doodles she made using mental commands.

 

“Here are some more of my doodles! I’m taking requests. Lol. Imagine your pointer finger is left click and the cursor movement is with your wrist. Without physically doing it. Just a normal day using telepathy,” her post reads. 

 

  What is Neuralink?

 

Neuralink is a BCI company founded by Elon Musk in 2016 that uses a tiny chip implant in the brain to enable it to send neural signals to some external device.

 

The company website states, “In our clinical trials, people are using Neuralink devices to control computers and robotic arms with their thoughts. This technology will restore autonomy to those with unmet medical needs and unlock new dimensions of human potential.”

 

Earlier, Elon Musk said that the initial results from trials are promising. The United States Food and Drug Administration approved human trials in May 2023 amid federal probes into the safety of its animal trials.

 

How does the Neuralink brain implant work?

 

According to the Neuralink website, the brain-computer interface is fully implantable, cosmetically invisible and designed to let users control a mobile device or computer on the go.

 

It also states that the implant contains a small battery that can be charged wirelessly from the outside.

 

“The implant records neural activity through highly flexible, ultra-thin electrode threads that are designed to minimise damage during implantation and beyond,” it added.

 

Audrey Crews also shared a post in which she explained her experience and how the implant works. 

 

Her post read: “Here's more information about how my BCI (brain-computer interface) implant works and my surgery. I had surgery last week and everything is going amazing. It was brain surgery — they drilled a hole in my skull and placed 128 threads into my motor cortex. The chip is about the size of a quarter. The staff at the University of Miami Health Center were awesome. They treated me like a VIP and are some of the sweetest people I've ever met.”

 

She clarified that the implant will not allow her to walk again or regain movement, and its uses are restricted to telepathic communication.

 

“The BCI lets me control my computer using my mind. I'll be able to control more electronic devices in the near future. I also want to clarify this implant will not allow me to walk again or regain movement. It's strictly for telepathy only,” she said.

 

Crews promised to share more videos when she gets back home. “We are still in Miami, but I'll be home soon and we'll post more vids explaining the process in more detail. I am the first woman in the world to do this,” she said.