Featured Image Source: Neuralink

Elon Musk’s neurotech company, Neuralink, is developing ‘ultra-high bandwidth brain-machine interfaces to connect humans and computers.’ He envisions a future where the Neuralink brain-chip can solve many brain-related issues, including curing memory loss, restoring hearing and eyesight, also allow paralyzed individuals to control artificial limbs (prosthetics) using just their thoughts.

The company not only aims to help improve the human condition in a health sense, Musk is pushing the limits of what a brain-machine interface could potentially do – he ultimately aims to connect the human brain to Artificial Intelligence (AI). Technology advances every day; AI systems are becoming more accurate. Musk says Neuralink could add a third layer of digital superintelligence in the human brain to avoid a potential future scenario where the human race is ‘enslaved’ by AI machines. A “human-AI symbiote” would help “democratize” AI, and that “we don’t have to worry about some evil dictator AI because we are the AI collectively,” Musk says.  Neuralink aims to achieve human connection with AI before the ‘singularity’ event “to minimize the existential risk for humanity and consciousness as we know it.”

Neuralink “would solve a lot of brain/spine injuries and is ultimately essential for AI symbiosis,” Musk stated. The company is initially focused on developing a device that will help those with quadriplegia control prosthetics, phones, or computers with their mind. While its unknown if human trials have already initiated, last year, Musk said “a monkey has been able to control a computer with its brain.”

The company will demonstrate a “working Neuralink device” during a live broadcast on Friday, August 28 at 3:00 p.m. PDT. Musk shared they will also show live-neural activity of a brain, “Will show neurons firing in real-time on August 28th. The matrix in the matrix,” he said. The presentation is expected to reveal new details of the brain-machine technology advancements and offer more insight into the device’s capabilities.

Live webcast of working @Neuralink device
Friday 3pm Pacific https://t.co/PouLbrGzFU

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 26, 2020

The Neuralink brain-chip, called ‘N1’, is a very small 4 by 4-millimeter square; It features 1,024 extremely thin electrode threads, thinner than a human hair. These are inserted inside a brain to stimulate neurons. Each will be threaded into the brain with a machine's precision. According to a 2019 presentation by the company, the chips will also be wired to an inductive coil that connects to a battery behind one ear to power the system. The final version of the Neuralink device will be accessed wirelessly, via a Bluetooth connection. Enabling the user to control any computerized system with their brain.

Recently, Musk said the company is seeking to hire new engineers to help develop some aspects of the Neuralink device, like “signal processing” and “inductive charging” which suggests that the company is already looking into working on wireless methods. Friday’s presentation is expected to offer more up-to-date details about this intriguing technology, and reveal when the first human trials will initiate – Or if they have already initiated.

Lengthy background on Neuralink by @waitbutwhy https://t.co/z2YfAupDRD

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 26, 2020