(Image via businessinsider.in)
Business Manager: Brendan Flaherty
Email: bflaherty1@umassd.edu
The frontier of technology has improved so much in the past few months, and leading the charge is none other than Elon Musk.
In a recent post on X, the first patient for a trial run of the neural link brain implant was recovering well from the surgery.
Elon Musk has previously stated this technology is an excellent achievement in advancing the brain-to-computer link. The goal of this whole operation is to hopefully allow people with disabilities like quadriplegia to be able to interact with their surroundings, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The Neuralink website has a patient registry area that talks about whether individuals qualify to be a part of clinical trials. They ask for people who might be suffering from quadriplegia, paraplegia, vision loss, hearing loss, inability to speak, or have a major amputation.
According to the site, “The device is designed to interpret a person’s neural activity, so they can operate a computer or smartphone by simply intending to move,” basically saying that it will allow people to work with their minds.
Users could wirelessly connect the implant to devices that work in tandem with the chip and your brain waves. Of course, it is all in speculation at the moment, but this could lead to the use of various appliances like mice, keyboards, lights, and showers, simply with the power of their mind.
According to Neuralink, the implant itself is tiny and composed of as few items as possible to limit the amount of damage the implant could do. In the threads section of the chip, they specifically mention that it is “highly-flexible, ultra-thin threads are key to minimize damage during implantation and beyond.”
The implementation of the link is so specific that they have a specific robot that carries out the procedure. The robot is specifically made to apply the threads to the correct places in the brain.
We as a species are getting closer and closer to the future that we might’ve dreamed about in the 90’s.
If these trials are carried out successfully and help to create a better life for those struggling, this will be another step towards a more technologically advanced society.
Although this is still in the trial phase, Musk reported in the post that “neuron spike detection” was promising and showed a possible link between the brain and the implant.
In other news, Elon recently made a video with one of his recent technological breakthroughs known as “Optimus,” a human-like robot that can only be described as “something out of the HBO drama ‘Westworld.’” according to Business Insider.
According to Elon in the Business Insider article, the company could start shipping units as soon as next year.
“‘When there’s a lot of uncertainty and you’re in uncharted territory, it’s obviously impossible to make a precise prediction. We will be updating the public with progress on Optimus every few months.’”
If the work on this robot continues, the future of the workforce could change dramatically – possibly for the worse.
It could lead to a more efficient future but ultimately put more people out of their jobs. As seen in the video, the robot was able to carry out the task of folding a shirt; what else the robot will be able to accomplish is yet to be seen.
The future is definitely upon us with the introduction of these new human aids. This could lead to the ultimate betterment of the human race or the utter disruption of it.