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The long-awaited public demonstration of Elon Musk’s new venture, the Neuralink. With the presence of a few guests (due to the health emergency) and live streaming, the CEO showed the latest advances for the startup that aims to create the perfect interface between the human brain and artificial intelligence. .
The first prototype of the Neuralink interface module was placed close to the ear and then connected to points of interest, and here Musk showed the first progress, with a new chip, roughly the size of a coin, without further wiring and with the ability to transmit data to external devices through the Bluetooth Low Energy connection.
Neuralink is still awaiting authorizations to test its equipment in human patients (the first tests will be in patients with spinal cord problems) and therefore, in the meantime, some tests are being carried out in pigs, in a non-invasive way. In fact, Musk during the presentation showed three different pigs, apparently in perfect health, but in different phases of treatment. One without chips, one with recently removed chips, and finally Gertrude, with the chip attached to the part of the brain that processes the signals sent by the large nose, which in pigs is a very sensitive organ.
This multiple demonstration has served to clarify that the implant is not invasive and does not cause any type of damage, and if in the future a patient wants to get rid of it, they can do so without any consequence. The signals from Gertrude’s nose were shown live, a series of points and lines that will obviously have to be interpreted and translated to achieve one of Neuralink’s purposes. According to Musk, in fact, the applications could be many, from the simple monitoring of health conditions, to the prevention of diseases, to the recovery of motor activities, avoiding the damaged parts of the body.
The progress in just one year has been enormous, typical of the Musk company, but the work is in an absolutely larval stage. Neuralink currently employs about 100 people, and last night’s presentation served primarily to attract new professionals, as would like to have up to 10,000 employees. The company is primarily looking for experts in micro-robotics, electrical engineers and software to perfect surgical procedures for implant grafting.
According to some testimonies, the environment at Neuralink is very similar to the initial state that was also at SpaceX and Tesla: chaotic, with grueling schedules and deadlines with unrealistic times. This causes a high turnover of the workforce, because many are throwing in the towel. Yet this modus operandi, typical of Silicon Valley startups rather than pharmaceutical companies, has paid off in the past, and Musk seems unwilling to change his mind.
The ultimate goal of Neuralink, which could be the last step, is to create an interface between the human brain and future artificial intelligences, to create a real symbiosis, to avoid what is imagined in many science fiction movies: be one with the machinesand not suffer their rebellion. We leave you a video with the entire presentation.