Neuralink, the brain-computer interface (BCI) company founded by tech billionaire Elon Musk, is calling for volunteers worldwide to join its groundbreaking research.
The study focuses on a brain implant designed to enable individuals to control computers using their thoughts.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, Neuralink announced that it is particularly seeking participants with quadriplegia—a condition that results in paralysis of all four limbs—to register for its patient database.
“The Neuralink Patient Registry is now open globally! If you have quadriplegia and are interested in exploring groundbreaking ways to control a computer using your thoughts, you can now sign up from anywhere in the world,” the company stated.
The PRIME study
So far, Neuralink has successfully implanted its device in three patients. The company is among several global firms developing and testing experimental brain implants aimed at restoring mobility and communication for people with severe neurological conditions.
- Neuralink’s ongoing clinical trial, dubbed the PRIME Study, is evaluating the safety and functionality of its implant in individuals with cervical spinal cord injuries or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), who have little to no hand function.
- The goal is to assess whether the device can help them operate digital devices through neural signals.
- Elon Musk has previously hinted at broader ambitions for Neuralink’s technology, including achieving a “symbiosis with artificial intelligence” to enhance human cognitive capabilities.
What you should know
Neuralink is a company founded by Elon Musk in 2017 to implant electrodes into people’s brains. The company completed its first human implant in January this year
- According to Musk, the Neuralink implant would enable people to control their phones or computers, and through them almost any device, just by thinking.
- Neuralink builds on decades of technology aimed at implanting electrodes in human brains to interpret signals and treat conditions such as paralysis, epilepsy, and Parkinson’s disease.
One early device is known as the Utah array, which was first demonstrated in a human in 2004. Many competitors have entered the field, including Synchron and Precision Neuroscience.
- The Neuralink device contains more than 1,000 electrodes, far more than other implants. It targets individual neurons, while many other devices in development target signals from groups of neurons. If it works, this should enable a higher degree of precision.
- Beyond Neuralink, Musk continues to play a pivotal role in multiple high-impact ventures, including collaborations with government initiatives.
- Recently, he has been working with U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s administration, leading the Department of Government Efficiency, a program focused on reducing operational costs in governance.
