Neuralink Successfully Implants Brain Chip in First Human Patient, Elon Musk Announces Recovery

(CTN News) – During a press conference on Monday, Elon Musk, the brain-chip startup’s billionaire founder, said that the first human patient had been implanted with a chip from Neuralink on Sunday and is recovering well.

“Initial results show promising neuron spike detection,” Musk said in a post, opening a new tab on the social media platform on which he shares the news.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had permitted the company to conduct its first human trial to test the implant on humans, following clearance from the FDA.

Telepathy Unveiled: Musk Shares Details on Neuralink’s First Product

Earlier this week, Musk mentioned in an X post that Neuralink’s first product will be Telepathy.

The startup is conducting the PRIME Study to evaluate the safety of its wireless brain-computer interface and the surgical robot that is connected to it.

The company’s website says that the study will assess the interface’s functionality, which enables people with quadriplegia or paralysis of all four limbs to control devices with their minds rather than their hands.

During September last year, Neuralink opened the study trial to recruit participants.

In response to a Reuters request for more details about the startup, the company did not immediately respond.

In the past few months, Neuralink has been the subject of calls for scrutiny regarding its safety protocols. According to Reuters, earlier this month, the company was fined for violating the rules regarding the movement of hazardous materials as set forth by the US Department of Transportation (DOT).

Four U.S. lawmakers asked the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in November to investigate Musk’s alleged misrepresentation of the safety of a brain implant that Neuralink was developing and whether Musk committed securities fraud.