This seems like good news for paralyzed people who can’t use their hands to control a computer mouse: “The first human patient implanted with a brain-chip from Neuralink appears to have fully recovered and is able to control a computer mouse using their thoughts,” reports The Guardian, citing the company’s founder, Elon Musk.
“Progress is good, and the patient seems to have made a full recovery, with no ill effects that we are aware of. Patient is able to move a mouse around the screen by just thinking,” Musk said. He added that Neuralink was trying to get as many mouse button clicks as possible from the patient. As The Guardian notes,
The firm successfully implanted a chip on its first human patient last month, after receiving approval for human trial recruitment in September.
The study uses a robot to surgically place a brain-computer interface implant in a region of the brain that controls the intention to move, Neuralink has said, adding that the initial goal was to enable people to control a computer cursor or keyboard using their thoughts.
Musk has grand ambitions for Neuralink, saying it would facilitate speedy surgical insertions of its chip devices to treat conditions like obesity, autism, depression and schizophrenia.
No good deed goes unpunished. Neuralink has faced repeated calls for scrutiny over its safety protocols. The firm has been fined for violating Transportation Department rules that government agencies routinely get away with violating with impunity.
Neuralink isn’t the only entity making big advances in medicine. Scientists have developed tiny robots made of human cells to repair damaged cells. Nanorobots are also being used to fight cancer. “In a major advancement in nanomedicine, Arizona State University scientists…have successfully programmed nanorobots to shrink tumors by cutting off their blood supply,” reported Next Big Future.
Doctors recently used a surgical robot to carry out incredibly complicated spinal surgery. Doctors also recently did the first robotic liver transplant in America.
Artificial intelligence is now developing highly-effective antibodies to fight disease. Doctors overseas are using artificial intelligence to detect cases of breast cancer more effectively.
The world’s first blood test for brain cancer may raise survival rates.
