Neuralink’s application to begin human testing of a prototype brainchip has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The company announced on Twitter.
Elon Musk’s company plans to use BCI (brain-computer interface) in the medical and therapeutic fields, in particular for rehabilitation after stroke and spinal cord injuries, as well as for neural control of prostheses and work with memories.
Elon Musk previously announced a positive decision in the spring, despite a ban from the FDA on human brainchip testing in February 2022. However, Neuralink has denied a request to start human trials. The FDA attributed the refusal to safety issues. As you know, testing of BCI chips on animals showed that the test subjects suffered and died. During the entire time of the BCI tests, more than 1500 animals died.
Also, the FDA expressed concerns related to the lithium battery of the device. It was about the possibility of “migrating tiny implant wires to other areas of the brain.” In addition, the question “is it possible and how to remove the device without damaging brain tissue” was not resolved.
Currently, FDA approval has been obtained, but information that Neuralink is looking for volunteers to begin testing has not been made public.
