Human consciousness has always been found in the cranium, but there’s a possibility it could someday be seen on a computer.
The South African billionaire, Elon Musk, (prominently known as the CEO of SpaceX, X-Corp (Twitter), and Tesla), owns a company by the name of ‘Neuralink’. Musk founded ‘Neuralink’ back in 2016. However, it was more famously introduced to society by wall street titan Rolfe Winkler, a year after its establishment.
No one exactly understood what Neuralink was (or how it worked for that matter) until Musk streamed a live launch event of the product in 2019, showing the product live.
Neuralink (in one word), is an implant. Although the design has distinctively altered from its origins, it has always been revised for the same goal: to connect the brain to any device. As of currently, the implant is circular and its size compares to a large coin. Neuralink has slender wires probing out of its base, all of which compose of 1,024 electrodes. These electrodes function as recorders of neurotransmitters, letting the user perform actions as they would with their physical body.
Neuralink could potentially be used to aid people with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, and many more conditions that halt coordinated movement. In the past, there have been products that allowed paralyzed people to communicate and move with their tongue. The tongue drive allows the user to move the electric wheelchair they are in, making it easier to move without actually using their hands. With Neuralink, the paralyzed can go beyond just controlling wheelchairs and electronics, they can control prosthetic limbs.
Just recently, the company took its very first steps into becoming lawfully marketable amongst society. A chip was implanted into an unidentified male on January 28th. According to Musk’s X account, “[the patient] is recovering well.”. Musk also mentions that the ,‘initial results show promising neuron spike detection”, which most likely means that the implant has satisfactorily connected to the brain’s neural network.
In spite of the potential and current results of the product, there are some concerns regarding its safety. While some believe Neuralink could potentially fight Alzheimer’s, others think it could also be a primary transmitter of the disease as well. When foreign bacteria enters the brain, the organ’s cells automatically release enzymes. Progressive use of these enzymes on a dangerous scale can lead to the destruction of nerve cells, resulting in Alzheimer’s down the road.
In addition to safety, users also worry about their own privacy. As users will be able to wirelessly control electronics, there is a chance that their online activity could be monitored. Their data can be sold without their consent. Sophomore, Angel Gonzalez expressed minimal worry in the product. He said, “I doubt someone like me would need Neuralink, but I don’t feel comfortable having Neuralink know everything I tap on”
Those are of course just worries of today. This is one of the first patients compared to the sea of Neuralink users in the future. Concerns will be configured, and the technology will indefinitely improve. It’s a mystery to the public as to what Musk will do next.
