Brain chip: Patient controls computer mouse with his thoughts – Science –

“Progress is good and the patient appears to have fully recovered without any negative effects that we have observed,” Musk said at an event via the SMS X service.

The first patient to have a computer chip inserted into his brain by Tesla CEO Elon Musk's startup Neuralink is said to be able to control a computer mouse with his thoughts. “Progress is good and the patient appears to have fully recovered without any negative effects that we have observed,” Musk said at an event via the SMS X service.

“The patient can move the mouse across the screen just by thinking,” Musk continued. Neuralink is now trying to get as many mouse clicks from the patient as possible.

Neuralink itself was not immediately available for further details. The company announced at the end of last January that it had implanted a brain chip in a patient for the first time after obtaining approval to recruit people for testing in September. According to Neuralink, patients should be implanted with an implant in the area of ​​the brain that controls the urge to move. The initial goal is to enable people to control a computer cursor or keyboard using only their thoughts.

Neuralink has been developing brain implants since 2016, which Musk hopes will one day provide a cure for incurable diseases like paralysis and blindness. The company has already tested the implant in animal experiments and faced allegations of potential animal welfare violations.

Neuralink, which was valued at about $5 billion (4.64 billion euros) last year, has also faced repeated criticism of its security protocols. In January, it was reported that the company was fined for violating regulations on the transport of dangerous goods.