Are you ready for a mind-blowing experience? Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX, is expanding his empire into the realm of neuroscience with his newest venture, Neuralink. In this post, we will explore what Neuralink is, what it does, and why it may change the future.
What is Neuralink?
Neuralink is a neurotechnology company that was co-founded by Elon Musk in 2016. The company’s mission is to develop a high-bandwidth brain-machine interface that can connect humans and computers together seamlessly. The idea behind the technology is to enable humans to communicate with computers in a completely new way.
The company has quickly become one of the most talked-about startups in Silicon Valley, with countless news stories and media attention. It has caught the attention of investors, technology enthusiasts, and even healthcare professionals and scientists.
What Does Neuralink Do for Elon Musk?
For Musk, Neuralink is a key component of his vision for the future. He believes that we are headed toward a future in which humans will merge with artificial intelligence and that it is critical that we develop a brain-machine interface that can keep up with this change.
Moreover, the company is not the only one Elon Musk has founded in pursuit of his aim of revolutionizing transportation, energy, and space exploration. Musk’s SpaceX has already changed the spaceship-making business, SpaceX is a globally recognized transporter of goods, with SpaceX Falcon Heavy being one of the most powerful rockets ever made. With Neuralink’s establishment, Elon is pursuing one of his ultimate goals of integrating our minds with machines
What Can Neuralink Cure?
Neuralink promises to revolutionize the medical industry by providing solutions for various neurological disorders. The company plans to develop a device that restores motor and sensory functions in those who have suffered from paralysis, brain damage, or stroke, marking a revolution in the medical industry.
Moreover, the technology has fantastic potential for the treatment of neurological diseases and disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and even psychiatric disorders by acting as neurological connectors between different brain regions.
What Does Elon Musk Say about Neuralink?
Elon Musk is known for his futuristic visions and ambitious endeavors, and his beliefs about the future of Neuralink are no different. He has stated that the company’s long-term goal is to merge humans with artificial intelligence through a high-bandwidth brain-machine interface. He believes that such a connection will allow humans to keep up with the rapidly advancing technology and prevent them from being sidelined in a world dominated by artificial intelligence.
When Will Neuralink Be Available?
The neuralink project is still in its early days, and Elon Musk has given an estimated timeline for having a neural link implanted in humans for experimental purposes in 2020. However, current events in the world may have changed this timeline, but it’s safe to say that considerable strides have been taken. More updates on this will come up as the project approaches telemetry completion.
How Much Will Neuralink Cost?
Currently, the cost of getting the neuralink implant is unclear, but based on what some of the technologies we already know, Neuralink might be costly. Getting the tech up and running with the highest level of accuracy will take state-of-the-art equipment, technology, and professionals who require a fair wage. We will keep you posted once pricing information becomes public.
Neuralink News
Since its founding, Neuralink has accomplished many milestones in the field of neuroscience as they pursue creating the first neural link implant. In 2020, the company announced successful tests on monkeys observing the development of single-unit devices that will eventually integrate with the brain. In progress is the production of medical-certified robot surgeons that will reduce margin of error in surgical cases by tenfold keeping patients safer and with less chance of complications.
Who Owns Neuralink?
Elon Musk founded Neuralink in 2016, and he also serves as the CEO of the company. Elon has hired a world-class team of professionals to help bring his visions to life, including scientists, engineers, and neurosurgeons. In 2018, the company raised over $27 million in funding rounds, opening doors to more viable funding.
Neuralink Human Trials
Neuralink is currently testing the neural link implants on humans, but the implants have only been approved for experimental purposes on very few with brain damage. None of this is approved for personal gain, and the company has not yet announced when this tech will be available to the general public.
Neuralink Technology
The neural link of the future will be a small computer with thousands of ultra-fine electrodes. The electrodes will be able to read and write electrical signals from the brain and are expected to have a bandwidth of up to 10 gigabits per second, which is much faster than the fastest internet connection. This technology will be the first of its kind and will connect the computer to the brain as seamlessly as possible.
Neuralink Monkey
Neuralink gained much attention globally after its recent successful project with macaque monkeys. The company was able to display a monkey playing the game “Mind Pong.” The game had the monkey hooked to the game using only its mind, a groundbreaking accomplishment in the site at the time. Further animal trials will be taking place, and the company hopes to make great strides in researching the brain’s capability and its interface with a machine.
Neuralink IPO
While the company has been conducting trials on humans and monkeys, and there has been an influx of funding, many speculate about a Neuralink IPO. An IPO would enable Elon Musk’s investors, including funds and angel investors, to cash out on the company if it went public. However, with so many developments in progress, an IPO is not on the company’s list of priorities for now, but we’ll keep you posted on any developments.
Conclusion
Elon Musk’s Neuralink has brought brain-machine interface technology to the forefront of our mind, with a potential impact quite impossible to predict. The consents and general use of such technology aside, we cannot help but marvel at the limitless options it opens up for our world, including life-changing technological advancements in healthcare, commerce and our general quality of life. As the future of Neuralink looks both uncertain and promising, one thing is for sure, it’s something that we should be paying closer attention to in the years to come.