Elon Musk’s Neuralink says it has FDA approval for study of brain implants in humans.

Neuralink talking about FDA approval on it’s Twitter profile: “We are excited to share that we have received the FDA’s approval to launch our first-in-human clinical study!”

Brief Overview of the History of Neuralink:

Formation and Early Years (2016-2017): Neuralink was established as a private company in California in 2016. Elon Musk had been discussing the idea of brain-computer interfaces for several years and decided to create Neuralink to accelerate research and development in this field. The initial team consisted of experts in neuroscience, engineering, and robotics.

Public Announcement (2017): In March 2017, Neuralink made its public debut with a presentation by Elon Musk at the California Academy of Sciences. Musk outlined the company’s goals and explained the need for brain-machine interfaces to keep pace with advancing artificial intelligence. He discussed the potential of Neuralink’s technology to address various neurological conditions and ultimately achieve a symbiosis between humans and AI.

Technical Advances and Animal Testing (2017-2019): Following the public announcement, Neuralink focused on technical advancements and conducted extensive animal testing. The company aimed to develop high-bandwidth, implantable neural interfaces that could record and stimulate brain activity. They worked on improving electrode technologies, wireless data transmission, and surgical techniques to implant the devices.

Human Trials and FDA Approval (2020-2021): Neuralink received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct human trials in 2020. The company’s focus was initially on individuals with neurological conditions, such as spinal cord injuries and paralysis. Neuralink developed a device called the N1 Link, which is designed to be implanted in the brain and interface with external devices.

Demonstrations and Progress Updates (2021-present): In August 2020, Neuralink held a public demonstration showcasing their progress and the capabilities of their technology. They highlighted the potential applications of Neuralink, including the restoration of motor function in paralyzed individuals. The company has since provided periodic updates on their research and development efforts.

AI and Neuralink Quotes

“Neuralink, X.AI, SpaceX, Starlink, Twitter, Tesla Bot, Tesla Phone… what does Elon Musk have in store for us?” ~Dave Waters
“Obviously, we want to be extremely careful and certain that it will work well before putting a device in a human, but we’re submitted, I think, most of our paperwork to the FDA.” ~Elon Musk
“I could have a Neuralink right now and you wouldn’t know.” ~Elon Musk
“If Elon Musk is wrong about artificial intelligence and we regulate it who cares. If he is right about AI and we don’t regulate it we will all care.” ~Dave Waters
“I like the word ‘autopilot’ more than I like the word ‘self-driving.’ ‘Self-driving’ sounds like it’s going to do something you don’t want it to do. ‘Autopilot’ is a good thing to have in planes, and we should have it in cars.” ~Elon Musk
“If you go back a few hundred years, what we take for granted today would seem like magic – being able to talk to people over long distances, to transmit images, flying, accessing vast amounts of data like an oracle. These are all things that would have been considered magic a few hundred years ago.” ~Elon Musk
“Imagine if you could meet 1,000 people a day, remember all their names, know everything about them documented in social media and public records, and repeat this day after day. What could be done with all this information? Silly to think about because a human could not do this… but artificial intelligence can.” ~Dave Waters