Elon MuskThe brain chip company Neuralink cleared by the FDA to begin human testing, it announced on Twitter.
“We are excited to share that we have received FDA approval to launch our first-in-human clinical study!” the company stated. “This is the result of the incredible work of the Neuralink team in close collaboration with the FDA and represents an important first step that will one day allow our technology to help more people.”
Neuralink was founded in 2016 with the goal of helping people recover from traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, treating depression and other mental health disorders, and connecting people to the internet for everything from to streaming music to near-telepathic communication.
At first, we could make someone with almost no ability to operate their muscles… said beforeeven proclaiming the technology could “restore full bodily function to someone with a severed spinal cord.”
Before it was cleared to begin human testing, Neuralink tested its brain chips on monkeys. The company showed test subjects “playing” video games and moving computer cursors through their implants, although the tests weren’t all happy: Last year, reports found that at least 15 of the 23 monkeys tested using the technology between 2017 and 2020 died. Later, the company went under INVESTIGATIONS for violating animal welfare regulations after employees said pressure from Musk to speed up development led to a spate of failed tests — and monkey deaths.
We are excited to share that we have received FDA approval to launch our first-in-human clinical study!
This is the result of the incredible work of the Neuralink team in close collaboration with the FDA and represents an important first step that will one day allow our…
— Neuralink (@neuralink) May 25, 2023