Our brain functions because of neurons communicating with each other via electrical impulses, also known as action potentials or neuronal spikes. We humans feel, think, fear, move, love all because of these electrical spikes. On the other hand, we have machines like computers, prosthetic implants, and phones to carry out functions that we normally can’t execute. The Neuralink is supposed to provide a brain machine interface between the humans and machines.
The Neuralink uses electrodes to record and electrically stimulate neurons so that the brain machine bandwidth is greatly increased. Currently, when we have an idea in our brain that we would like to express, we have to type it or use speech to take action on that idea. The process of typing or speaking is very inefficient and slow. The Neuralink promises to remove this constraint by providing an interface for a direct link between your brain and machine.
Future Possibilities
We have previously reported on devices like Mendi that allow you to train your brain using a meditation device. Brain-machine interfaces hold promise for the restoration of sensory and motor function and the treatment of neurological disorders. Almost everyone has neurological problems over time and Neuralink is trying to be a generalized brain device that is reliable and affordable. Our brain essentially mismanages electrical signals that result in various problems like memory loss, hearing loss, blindness, paralysis, depression, insomnia, extreme pain, seizures, anxiety, addiction, strokes, and brain damage. Brain machine neural interfaces have the potential to enable a variety of novel therapeutic possibilities. The Neuralink device can do many things like monitoring your health, warning you about possible heart attack or stroke or damage. It can also even play music and immersive video games. In the future, you can use it to save and replay memories. The Neuralink chip also holds the promise of providing humans with super vision by having ability to see in ultraviolet, infrared or radar. In addition, you can use it for telepathy, so just by thinking, you can type or give commands to control a computer or smartphone.
Technical Specifications
Clinical brain-machine interfaces have not yet been widely adopted, in part, because modest channel counts have limited their potential. The Neuralink device has 1024 channels per link with electrode array that is packaged into a small implantable device with overall dimensions of 23 mm by 8 mm. The Neuralink device contains custom chips for low-power on-board amplification and digitization. The device will have multiple sensors including 6-axis IMU motion, temperature, and pressure sensors. The channel density allows for megabit wireless data rate and post compression abilities. The Neuralink v0.9 device can be installed so that it is flush with your skull and Musk claims that you won’t be able to see if someone was wearing one. The device will also have all day battery life with inductive charging (like wireless charging on smartwatch or smartphone).
Installation/Surgery Process
Neuralink has developed a neurosurgical robot that is capable of inserting six threads (192 electrodes) per minute. The neurosurgical robot has micro precision for avoidance of surface vasculature and it is able to individually insert the threads into specific brain regions that need to be targeted. The process starts with removal of a coin sized piece of skull and the robot inserts the electrode threads and Neuralink device replaces the portion of skull that was removed and it is secured with special glue that is used to close many wounds today.
Story so far
Neuralink has raised a total of $158 Million in funding over two rounds and their latest funding was raised on 29Apr2019 from a Venture series round. Elon himself has added $100M of his own money into this company. On 31Oct2019, Neuralink published a paper in Journal of Medical Internet Research with a claim that their process has unprecedented packaging density and scalability that is clinically relevant. The paper also showed that Neuralink’s system has achieved a spiking yield of up to 70% in chronically implanted electrodes. In July 2020, Neuralink received a breakthrough device designation from the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States. On 28Aug2020, Elon Musk unveiled Neuralink v0.9 device that can be seamlessly installed and no longer has to be visible behind the ear. In addition, Musk also provided a live demo of healthy pigs that have had multiple Neuralink implants for two months. Musk also showed healthy pigs that have had implants removed to showcase that the process is reversible, and device can be safety removed without any impact to the pig’s health. In terms of next steps, Neuralink is waiting for required approvals and additional safety testing before preparing for first human implantation. Elon Musk says that he wants to bring the cost of the device and installation down to few thousands of dollars in the future.
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