2023-05-28 05:54:00
The technology offered by Neuralink is attracting great interest, especially for patients with neurological diseases.
« This is an important first step that will one day allow our technology to help many people “, said the Californian company on its Twitter account, specifying that “ recruitment for clinical trials (on humans) is not yet open ».
Neuralink designs connected devices to be implanted in the brain to communicate with computers directly through thought. They must first be used to help people who are paralyzed or suffering from neurological diseases.
The start-up then wants to make these implants safe and reliable enough to be elective (comfort) surgery – people might then pay a few thousand dollars to equip their brains with computer power.
For Elon Musk, these chips must allow humanity to achieve a “symbiosis with AI”, in his words of 2020, delivered at the company’s annual conference.
« We are now confident that Neuralink’s device is ready for humans, so the timeline depends on the FDA approval process (Food & Drug Administration lUnited States public health agency) “, he had indicated at the end of November on Twitter, a month following having bought the social network.
Key milestone in the development of Neuralink
The boss of Tesla and SpaceX is accustomed to risky predictions, especially regarding the autonomy of Tesla electric cars. In July 2019, he estimated that Neuralink might perform its first tests on individuals in 2020.
So far, the coin-sized prototypes have been implanted in the skulls of animals. Several monkeys are thus able to play video games or type words on a screen, simply by following the movement of the cursor on the screen with their eyes.
At the end of November, the start-up also took stock of its latest advances in the design of a robot-surgeon and the development of other implants, to be installed in the spinal cord or the eyes, to restore mobility or vision. .
Other companies are also working on controlling computers by thought, such as Synchron, which announced in July 2022 that it had implanted the first brain-machine interface in the United States.
« We are building technology capable of directly broadcasting the thoughts of people who have lost the ability to move or speak due to illness or injury “Explains Thomas Oxley, the founder and boss of this start-up, in a video on his website.
Several patients are testing the implant, which has been inserted into blood vessels, so they can compose emails or go online using their eyes and brain.
Allegations of abuse of laboratory animals
An investigation by the Inspector General of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) interviewed current and former Neuralink employees. A large number of them had admitted to having been under intense pressure from the sulphurous libertarian boss to speed up the project, at the risk of committing serious negligence having an impact on animal health.
An animal rights group had filed a complaint once morest the start-up. Research teams have thus been accused of having neglected experiments on laboratory monkeys and of having made harmful errors. The use of an unsuitable surgical glue and the implantation of devices of incorrect size would have caused suffering in the animals, sometimes going as far as the death of the subject.
The figures revealed at the time were alarming: since 2018, around 1,500 animals (sheep, pigs, monkeys, etc.) have lost their lives during tests carried out by the laboratory. However, Elon Musk has always denied the accusations of animal abuse, going so far as to claim that the Neuralink laboratories were a real “Disneyland for monkeys”.
FDA Concerns About Brain Implant
The Neuralink project has drawn strong criticism since its inception. Despite the reluctance of NGOs and the caution of doctors, the company continues to develop. A report published in March 2023 reveals the refusal of a first application to the FDA.
The FDA, the US agency responsible for regulating medical products, has legitimate concerns regarding the brain implant offered by Neuralink. Implanting a chip in the human brain carries significant risks and the FDA does not wish to take unnecessary risks. In particular, the agency is concerned regarding the wires used to connect the implant to its small battery.
These threads can move through the patient’s cortex and cause further damage if there is any unforeseen movement. In an area as sensitive as the motor cortex, a simple shift of a millimeter of the battery or the implant might have serious consequences, which might lead to blindness or even trigger a stroke in a few moments.
Risk management… to be confirmed
Risk control is a crucial issue in the development of the Neuralink brain implant. The FDA requires strong safeguards to ensure patient safety. The potential consequences of unintended movements of the implant or the battery are concerning, particularly in terms of loss of vision or risk of stroke.
Neuralink must therefore commit to putting in place rigorous measures to avoid these problems. The safety and well-being of patients must be a top priority in the development of this innovative technology.
Despite current concerns, Neuralink continues to move forward in its development. The company is committed to resolving issues raised by the FDA and meeting stringent risk control requirements. If these challenges are successfully addressed, the Neuralink brain implant might pave the way for significant medical advances in the field of neuroscience.
(with AFP and Archyde.com)
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