Photo: rafapress / Shutterstock.com
Elon Musk’s brain-computer interface (BCI) company, Neuralink, announced its approval to launch a new feasibility study focused on its brain implant and an experimental robotic arm.
The new study is part of Neuralink’s broader PRIME program, which aims to test the safety and functionality of its wireless BCI and the surgical robot designed to implant it, reports Bloomberg. The core objective of the trial is to explore how patients with quadriplegia — severe paralysis that affects both upper and lower body functions — can use their thoughts to control external devices.
The company has disclosed that study participants will be drawn from its existing PRIME clinical trial. The announcement was made via social media, but comprehensive details about the research study’s design and extent have not been publicly shared.
The study follows another regulatory milestone for Neuralink. Last week, Health Canada approved the company to trial its implantable device in Canada. Partnering with Canadian neurosurgeons, Neuralink has been authorised to recruit six participants with paralysis for this new study.
This marks the company’s first expansion beyond the United States and signals growing global interest in the potential of BCI technology.
In the United States, Neuralink has already begun testing its device on human patients. Two individuals with paralysis have received the implants as part of the PRIME trial, with early results pointing to significant possibilities for users.
Through the brain-computer interface technology, this individual has successfully controlled digital interactions using neural signals, including navigating online platforms, operating video games, and moving cursors.
Another research subject has showcased the technology’s creative potential by utilising neural commands to explore 3D design processes and interact with interactive digital environments.
In September 2024, Neuralink’s Blindsight technology got the FDA’s ‘breakthrough device’ designation, accelerating the development and regulatory review process.
In the News: Xiaomi to launch in-house processors by 2025
