During Elon Musk’s visit to France, the billionaire estimated that Neuralink would start its first human trial before the end of this year.
“It’s looking like the first case will be later this year,” said Elon Musk during an interview at the VivaTech event in Paris.
Neuralink posted its patient registry on its official website. Neuralink’s patient registry asks willing participants about their conditions, including if they are quadriplegic, paraplegic, are visually impaired, have aphasia or hearing impairments. The registry application includes the consent form, provides Neuralink authorization to use and disclose the patients’ medical records and questionnaire.
Neuralink received the U.S. Federal Drug Administration’s approval to launch its first human clinical study in May 2023. Thus far, based on Neuralink’s animal trials, Elon Musk is confident the company’s brain implant can restore full body functionality and restore vision.
For its first human trials, Neuralink may not immediately try to restore any body functions. The company might focus more on creating a link between humans and technology similar to Neuralink’s implant in Pager, the nine-year-old Macaque.
In 2021, Neuralink released a video of Pager playing the game Pong with his mind. The company implanted its device onto Pager’s brain, allowing the Macaque to control the game without a joystick.
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