Elon Musk has announced that the first human has received an implant from his Neuralink enterprise which attaches a computer to someone’s brain.
Last year researchers in Switzerland published research in the journal Nature describing an implant that restores communication between the brain and spinal cord to help a man with paralysis to stand and walk naturally.
Musk said the patient was “recovering well” from the procedure, “The first human received an implant from Neuralink yesterday and is recovering well. Initial results show promising neuron spike detection,” Elon Musk wrote on X, formally Twitter. Neuralink technology hopes to allow a person to interact with a computer just by using their thoughts, and vice versa.
No further details were given on the transplant or who the person was as his update came moments before the Tesla owner resumed to tweeting gaming updates.
There are more than 30 brain or spine computer interface trials underway, according to clinicaltrials.gov. Musk – who also owns X Tesla and SpaceX – revealed in December 2022 that his team was in the process of asking regulators to allow them to test the Neuralink device.
The device is about the size of a large coin and is designed to be implanted in the skull, with ultra-thin wires going directly into the brain. Musk has disclosed the first two applications in people would be to attempt to restore vision and try to help people with little or no ability to operate their muscles rapidly use digital devices.
He also stated that he envisions that signals from the brain could be bridged to Neuralink devices in the spinal cord for someone with a broken neck.
After Musk made a presentation late last year about the device, Rajesh Rao, co-director of the Center for Neurotechnology at the University of Washington, noted that he doesn’t think Neuralink is ahead of other teams in terms of brain-computer interface achievements but is “quite ahead” in terms of the hardware in the devices.
It’s unclear how well this device or similar interfaces will ultimately work, or how safe they might be.
Lifting Ban On Taylor Swift Searches
Social media juggernaut X has reinstated searches for global superstar Taylor Swift, rescinding a temporary ban imposed in response to the dissemination of fabricated sexually explicit imagery featuring the renowned pop singer across its platform last week.
The decision to reactivate searches for Swift was announced Monday evening by Joe Benarroch, head of business operations at X, who affirmed the company’s commitment to vigilant monitoring.
“We will continue to be vigilant for any attempt to spread this content and will remove it if we find it,” Joe Benarroch stated in a press release on Monday.
Previously, attempts to search for Taylor Swift on the platform were met with an error message, “Something went wrong. Try reloading,” sparking speculation and concern among fans and social media users alike.
The enforcement of the temporary ban followed the circulation of manipulated images portraying Swift in a false and explicit light, prompting swift action from the social media giant. One such image, reportedly viewed a staggering 47 million times before the associated account was suspended, underscored the urgency of the situation.
This development garnered significant attention, even drawing remarks from the White House, which labeled the spread of fake imagery as “alarming” and emphasized the responsibility of social media companies to combat misinformation.
X’s actions come amidst heightened scrutiny of social media platforms and their handling of harmful content, particularly since billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk assumed control of Twitter in 2022.
Musk’s controversial posts have sparked widespread criticism, leading many advertisers to reassess their presence on the platform to mitigate association with potentially harmful material.
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