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Elon Musk’s Neuralink unveils sleek V0.9 device, uses sassy pigs for live brain machine demo
After another year of successfully staying in the shadows, Elon Musk’s Neuralink has revealed what’s been going on behind the scenes in terms of technological progress. In a live streamed event on Friday afternoon, the brain-machine interface company gave a demonstration, took questions, and left audiences with even more to mull over than ever.
“The primary purpose of this demo is recruiting,” Musk stated at the very beginning of the presentation. He emphasized that everyone at some point in their life will face a brain or spine problem – all inherently electrical – meaning it takes electrical solutions to solve electrical problems. Neuralink’s goals are to solve these problems for anyone who wants them solved, and that application will be simple and reversible with no negative effects.
Two pigs were used for the ‘real-time’ demonstration promised in the days leading up to the event. The first, named Gertrude, had a Neuralink implant installed for two months and was shown to be healthy and happy. A second pig, named Dorothy, had the implant previously installed and removed with no side effects afterward.
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- Elon Musk shows off the Neuralink v0.9 Device (Credit: Neuralink)
After a bit of a delay from the amusingly sassy Neuralink-implanted pigs, the live stream and in-house audience witnessed Gertrude’s device in action. Notably, the neural implants could predict all the limb movements of the pigs based on the neural activity being read. Each reading was shown on a screen and musical notes attached as the data was processed.
Overall, here are some of the main takeaways from the presentation.
- The Neuralink implant device has been dramatically simplified since Summer 2019. Its design will be very low profile and nearly invisible on the outside, leaving only a small scar that could be covered by hair. “It’s like a FitBit in your skull with tiny wires,” Musk half-joked. “I could have it right now and you wouldn’t even know. Maybe I do!”
- The implant device is inductively charged, much like wireless smartphones are charged. It will also have functions that are akin to those available on smartwatches today.
- A “smart” robot installs the device, which requires engineering talent to accomplish, hence the recruiting focus of the Neuralink event. The “V2” robot featured in this year’s presentation looks like a step up from last year’s machine.
- The electrodes are installed without general anesthesia, no bleeding, and no noticeable damage. The currently developed robot has done all the current implant installations to date.
- The implant can be installed and removed without any side effects.
- You can have multiple Neuralink devices implanted and they will work seamlessly.
- The implant device would have an application linked to your phones.
- Neuralink received a ‘breakthrough device’ designation from the FDA in July, and the company is working with the agency to make the technology as safe as possible.
- The device will eventually be able to be sewn deeper within the brain, thereby having access to a greater range of functions beyond the upper cortex. Examples are motor function, depression, and addiction.
- Getting a Neuralink should take less than an hour, without the need for general anesthesia. Users could have the surgery done in the morning and go home later during the day.
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- Credit: Neuralink
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- Credit: Neuralink
The idea for Musk’s AI-focused brain venture first seemed to really take off after his appearance at Vox Media’s Recode Code Conference in 2016. The CEO had discussed the concept of a neural lace device on several occasions up to that point and suggested at the conference that he might be willing to tackle the challenge himself. A few months later, he revealed that he was in fact working on the idea, which was detailed at great length by Tim Urban on his website Wait But Why.
“He started Neuralink to accelerate our pace into the Wizard Era—into a world where he says that ‘everyone who wants to have this AI extension of themselves could have one, so there would be billions of individual human-AI symbiotes who, collectively, make decisions about the future.’ A world where AI really could be of the people, by the people, for the people,” Urban summarized. Given that bigger picture perspective, the 2020 Neuralink event seems even more impactful.
Neuralink’s official Twitter account opened the virtual floor to questions using the #askneuralink hashtag the night before the event, prompting several questions during the presentation. However, Musk fanned the building curiosity in the hours beforehand. “Giant gap between experimental medical device for use only in patients with extreme medical problems & widespread consumer use. This is way harder than making a small number of prototypes,” Musk responded to one question directed towards the mass market viability of a future Neuralink product line.
https://twitter.com/flcnhvy/status/1299422178329362437
Also in the days prior to the Neuralink event, Musk teased a few more bits of information about what to expect. “Live webcast of working @Neuralink device,” he said. Just prior to his confirmation of the device demonstration, he revealed that version two of the robot initially shown in the first progress update in 2019 wasn’t quite up to the level of a LASIK eye surgery machine, though only a few years away.
You can watch the full event below:
Elon Musk
NASA’s first human outpost on the Moon starts now – SpaceX on deck
NASA named the rovers, landers, and vendors that will build America’s first Moon Base.
NASA has laid out its most detailed Moon Base plan to date, describing a permanent outpost near the Moon’s south pole that the agency intends to build over the coming decade as a direct stepping stone to Mars. “The Moon Base will be America’s and humanity’s first outpost on another celestial world,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said, adding that every mission crewed and uncrewed “will be a learning opportunity as we return to the lunar surface, build the infrastructure to stay, and master the skills required to live and operate in one of the most demanding and dangerous environments imaginable.”
The plan is structured in three phases involving both uncrewed and crewed missions to deliver equipment, vehicles, and infrastructure to the surface, with the first three moon base missions targeted to launch before the end of 2026.
Moon Base I, targeting fall 2026, will use Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 1 lander to deliver scientific instruments to the Shackleton Connecting Ridge, the same region where Artemis astronauts will land. Moon Base II will send Astrobotic’s Griffin lander carrying more than 1,100 pounds of cargo including Astrolab’s FLIP rover to begin developing mobility systems on the surface. Moon Base III will carry the Lunar Vertex science mission on Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C Trinity lander to study lunar swirls near the south pole, with ESA and Korean science payloads aboard.
On the rover side, NASA awarded Astrolab $219 million and Lunar Outpost $220 million to build the first phase of Lunar Terrain Vehicles, with both rovers targeted for deployment to the lunar surface by 2028. Astrolab’s crewed rover weighs roughly 2,000 pounds and can reach over 6 mph. Lunar Outpost’s Pegasus rover can operate autonomously or via remote control at over 9 mph. Blue Origin separately received $188 million with an option worth $280.4 million to deliver cargo landers for rover transport.
NASA also confirmed that MoonFall, a mission deploying four survey drones to scout Artemis landing sites, has selected Firefly Aerospace to build the transport spacecraft, with a 2028 launch target.
SpaceX sits at the center of that commercial layer. SpaceX holds the NASA Human Landing System contract for the Starship-derived lander that will put astronauts on the surface under Artemis IV, currently targeting 2028. Before that can happen, SpaceX must demonstrate in-orbit propellant transfer at scale, a process requiring multiple Starship tanker launches to fuel a single mission. Water ice at the lunar south pole is central to the base’s long-term viability, as it can be converted into drinking water, breathable oxygen, and rocket fuel, directly reducing dependence on Earth resupply. That resource loop becomes far more practical if Starship can land and be refueled on or near the Moon itself.
Elon Musk has publicly stated that Starship V3, which recently completed its first flight, should be capable enough for initial Mars missions. The Moon Base plan announced Tuesday is the infrastructure layer that connects everything between those two ambitions, and SpaceX is the only American company currently contracted to build the rocket that gets humans to either destination.
A new Tesla patent that has been granted to the company this week has revealed a potential strategy for solving a major issue that could impact both the Full Self-Driving suite and Optimus.
The patent, which is No. 12,636,684, describes a “Lens Cleaning System,” and was submitted by Tesla in May 2025.
The language in the patent details a lens cleaning system that can dispense fluid and wipe it away with a wiper assembly.
Optimus can see you now… 🤖👁️
The patent for @Tesla_Optimus‘s eye structure just dropped. $TSLA pic.twitter.com/Jac4VhDmKH
— SETI Park (@seti_park) May 26, 2026
This would effectively clean any debris that would potentially impact the visibility of the cameras on Tesla automobiles or Optimus’s camera eyes. Perhaps the most pertinent example is through the Full Self-Driving suite, as debris that can accumulate on the vehicle’s exterior cameras can impact the suite’s ability to operate effectively.
This requires a remedy through manual cleaning, but this patent hints that Tesla could be planning to implement this new technology on its upcoming vehicles.
Interestingly, we have started to see it on some Robotaxi vehicles, and it will likely be included in the Cybercab, especially as that vehicle will enable full autonomy.
Back in January, the first Model Y Robotaxi units were spotted with camera washers on the side repeaters, as the video below shows fluid squirting and rinsing off any debris that is limiting visibility.
🚨 Tesla looks to have installed Camera Washers on the side repeater cameras on Robotaxis in Austin
pic.twitter.com/xemRtDtlRR— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 23, 2026
This hardware patent does bring up an interesting question for those of us who own Teslas with AI4 and have been told that our cars will one day be capable of full autonomy: Will this washer be available as a retrofit on already-built cars?
Perhaps the “Lens Cleaning System” patent is a good look at one way Tesla plans to combat one of the most obvious issues of autonomy that utilizes a camera-based system. For Optimus, it could be less needed as it could be manually cleaned by owners. For cars, it seems like a bigger necessity, especially as autonomy nears and Tesla gets close to launching a feature-complete FSD suite.
SpaceX’s Starlink product has just gotten its latest airline adoptee, and the move marks the successful partnership of three of the “Big Four” U.S. airlines.
American Airlines announced on Tuesday that it would utilize Starlink in more than 500 narrowbody aircraft beginning in the first quarter of 2027. These include the Airbus aircraft in its fleet, including the new A321XLR and A321neo.
With the new partnership with American Airlines, Starlink is now present on three of the largest airlines in the country: American, United, and Southwest.
Starlink gets its latest airline adoptee for stable and reliable internet access
Starlink’s VP of Enterprise Sales, Jason Fritch, said:
“We are proud to bring Starlink on board American Airlines, delivering fast and reliable internet to passengers and crew. Whether traveling for leisure or business, Starlink enables a fully connected experience gate to gate, making every flight smoother and more enjoyable.”
Additionally, American Airlines Chief Customer Officer, Heather Garboden, said:
“As a premium global airline, we are continuously seeking out world-class partners like Starlink to deliver what our customers need and want. The addition of Starlink solidifies American as a leading airline in keeping passengers connected in flight.”
Starlink has been on a tear over the past year, as it has continued to be adopted by a wide variety of airlines as a more consistent and reliable way to provide WiFi to its passengers. It has already gained a great reputation among residential users, but its biggest commercial application appears to be how it is being used in the air.
American Airlines will adopt Starlink on more than 500 of its narrowbody aircraft beginning in Q1 2027
“As a premium global airline, we are continuously seeking out world-class partners like Starlink to deliver what our customers need and want,” said American Airlines Chief… pic.twitter.com/XY2wflycc0
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) May 26, 2026
The only airline of the Big Four not to adopt Starlink thus far is Delta, which chose to opt for the alternative, which is Amazon Leo. CEO Ed Bastian said to Bloomberg that Delta chose Amazon’s product over Starlink’s because “the opportunities, in terms of the improved bandwidth with a much lower price point than what we’ve ever seen from Starlink, will make a big difference.”
Delta will not start installing Amazon Leo until 2028.
“Of course, we expect Starlink will be warning people that we’re going to go with an inferior product,” Bastian said. “But I’m not too worried about partnering with Amazon.”
NASA’s first human outpost on the Moon starts now – SpaceX on deck
Tesla patent reveals strategy for solving major Full Self-Driving, Optimus issue
