How Does Neuralink Work In The Human Brain?

how does neuralink work

Have you ever thought can someone could control their gadgets with their minds? Elon Musk brain chips make this imagination into a cutting-edge reality. Neuralink technology has the potential to change the way of interact with computers. Read this article to learn how does Neuralink work in the human brain to redefine the boundaries of human capabilities.

What is Neuralink?

Neuralink is a brain-machine interface company whose mission is to connect the human brain with AI (artificial intelligence). These Elon Musk Brain chips can probably help people with neurological disorders like Parkinson’s disease or paralysis to interact and communicate with their surroundings.

Elon Musk, who also runs SpaceX, Tesla, and Twitter, now X, established Neuralink in 2016 to develop brain-computer interfaces. These devices merge with the human brain to allow humans to communicate with computers solely by thinking.

How Does Neuralink Work?

Neuralink’s core technology works similarly to electrophysiology. In our nervous system, the electrical chemical signals spark neurons to communicate with each other beyond gaps between nerve cells known as synapses.

Electrodes or sensors capture this brain activity to detect voltages, measuring the spike changes of when these voltages fire (or potentially fire).In simple words, our brain activity data is recorded not just when we take action but also when we think about taking action.

The Technology behind Neuralink Device

As we mentioned earlier, the basic understanding of Neuralink is. Let’s dive deep into the core technology behind it, which is based on Elon Musk brain chips.

Brain-Computer Interface

The BCI (Brain-Computer Interface) is a significant component of Neuralink technology. It allows for real-time communication between the human brain and the computer. The BCI consists of electrodes inserted into the brain and a computer that processes the information obtained from these electrodes.

The BCI is a state-of-the-art technology that can change the lives of millions of individuals worldwide. It has the potential to help people who have lost their ability to speak, move, or interact with their surroundings due to injury or disease. The BCI helps these people communicate with the outside world through their thoughts.

Neuralink’s Electrode Threads

The electrodes used by Neuralink are extremely small, about the size of a human hair. These threads are flexible and may move with the brain, reducing harm to the surrounding tissue. The device can capture cerebral activity at a remarkably higher resolution than existing technologies, resulting in more accurate and precise data collection.

These electrode threads are made with a flexible biocompatible polymer. That means that it can be safely transplanted into the brain without any risk of injury. The threads are implanted in the brain using a custom-built robot with high accuracy.

These electrode threads can transform the field of neuroscience by allowing researchers to study the brain in deep detail. This technology could also be used to treat different neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and chronic pain.

The N1 Chip And Its Functionalities

The N1 chip is an essential part of the Neuralink technology. It is a specialized chip that acts as a translator between the brain and the computer. It can process extensive amounts of neural data and provide feedback to the user in real time. The N1 chip makes the Neuralink technology advance and unique.

The N1 chip is remarkably advanced and capable of processing around 10,000 channels of neural data in real-time. It allows for more natural and automated communication between the user and the computer because the computer can adapt to the user’s thoughts and respond appropriately.

Moreover, the N1 chip can also be used in different applications, like prosthetics and virtual reality. It could allow people with prosthetic limbs to control them using only their imagination or enable individuals to communicate with virtual environments more naturally and instinctively.

Human Trail of Neuralink

Noland Arbaugh, a 29-year-old patient, received the first Neuralink implant on January 28, 2024. In May 2024, Neuralink reported that, after weeks of surgery, Arbaugh had been successfully using the implant to control his computer while lying down in bed. It was also found that several threads had retracted from Arbaugh’s brain, reducing the number of efficient electrodes.

In June 2024, Neuralink decided to implant its brain chip in a second human patient. Unfortunately, due to the patient’s medical conditions, Neuralink canceled the second human brain surgery. In June 2024, Neuralink decided to implant its brain chip in a second human patient. Unfortunately, due to the patient’s medical conditions, Neuralink canceled the second human brain surgery.

But one month later, the Second patient, Alex received his Neuralink implant. According to the Neuralink blog post, the second implant goes well, and the Neuralink patient can now play CounterStrike 2.

Previously, the Elon Musk brain chips were only tested in rats, mice, lambs, monkeys, and pigs.

Risks of Neuralink Implantation

The possible dangers of Neuralink surgery include:

  • Neural side effects like brain injury or infection
  • Physical side effects include bleeding, headaches, nausea, or seizures
  • Psychological side effects like mood changes
  • Allergic reactions due to implanted materials
  • Implanted threads and wires can move to different parts of the brain.
  • Vulnerabilities related to cybersecurity, hacking, and privacy.
  • Unknown long-term effects of usage

FAQs

Q. Does Neuralink use Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
Neuralink’s goal and ambitions are to combine human brains with Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Q. When will Neuralink be available?
The primary completion date for Neuralink’s study is 2026, with the entire research project to be completed in 2031.

Q. How Much Would a Neuralink Transplant Cost?
Currently, Neuralink has not announced its cost for the chip implantation. However, Bloomberg estimates the price at $10,500 and indicates that insurance companies would possibly charge around $40,000 for the entire process in the United States.

Final Verdict

After reading this article, we hope you understand how does Neuralink work in the human brain. Overall, Neuralink technology has the prospect of transforming the way we communicate with technology and with each other. Elon Musk brain chips have the potential to improve the lives of millions of individuals all over the world and to reveal the secrets of the human brain.