A hot potato: Elon Musk has announced that the first human subject has received an implant from his controversial Neuralink company and is recovering well. The CEO claimed that "Initial results show promising neuron spike detection."

Back in May last year, Neuralink, founded by Musk in 2016, was given permission by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) to begin its first in-human clinical study, paving the way for a brain-machine interface with the potential to treat fatal neurological diseases, paralysis, blindness, and more. In September, the brain implant company started accepting applications for its first human clinical trial.

Musk announced on X that the first human patient was recovering from an operation in which they received the implant and that there were good results for neuron spike detection, which means the company is getting readings from the patient's brain.

The first human received an implant from @Neuralink yesterday and is recovering well.

Initial results show promising neuron spike detection.

– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 29, 2024

Neuralink's initial goal is to allow people to control a keyboard or cursor just by thinking about it. This is achieved using a brain-computer interface (BCI) implant placed in the section of the brain responsible for the intention to move. The company writes that the N1 implant records neural activity through 1,024 electrodes distributed across 64 highly-flexible, ultra-thin threads.

In a separate post on X, Musk wrote that Neuralink's first product is called Telepathy. It will enable control of a phone or computer, and through them almost any device, just by thinking. Initial users will be those who have lost the use of their limbs. "Imagine if Stephen Hawking could communicate faster than a speed typist or auctioneer. That is the goal," Musk wrote.

Neuralink's Prime Study is a trial for its wireless brain-computer interface to evaluate the safety of the implant and surgical robot.

In 2021, Neuralink released a video of a macaque, which had one of the company's implants in its brain, playing Pong just by thinking about it. As the monkey played, the Neuralink recorded neuron activity. The data was used to determine which regions of the monkey's brain were firing when specific hand actions were carried out. Once the patterns were learned, the joystick was disconnected, but the monkey was still able to control the cursor because it was thinking about the movements.

The experiments on the monkeys have led to accusations of animal abuse against Neuralink, something Musk denies. In February 2023, the company was also accused of violating federal laws relating to the transport of hazardous material, including the flammable liquid Xylene, on multiple occasions.