Musk: Third Person Receives Computer-Brain Connection from Neuralink
2025-01-22
LRC
TXT
大字
小字
滚动
全页
1Businessman Elon Musk said a third person has had a special electronic device directly connected to their brain.
2The unidentified person received an implant from Musk's company Neuralink, which makes devices that link the human brain to computers.
3Neuralink is one of many groups working to connect the human nervous system to machines.
4On the social media service X, which he owns, Musk said: "We've got...three humans with Neuralinks and all are working well."
5Neuralink announced its first brain implant one year ago.
6Recently, Musk said the company has improved its devices.
7Musk also said Neuralink hopes to implant the experimental devices in 20 to 30 more people this year.
8The second patient reportedly has a spinal cord injury and got the implant last summer.
9The person was playing video games with the help of the device and learning how to use design software.
10The first patient, also paralyzed after a spinal cord injury, said it helped him play video games and chess.
11Many other companies and research groups are working on similar projects.
12Two studies published last year in the New England Journal of Medicine describe how brain-computer interfaces, known as BCIs, helped people with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) communicate better.
13ALS is a nervous system disease that affects cells in the brain and spinal cord.
14Nature magazine reported last September that there were published results from 28 trials worldwide of BCIs over the past 25 years.
15Rajesh Rao is co-director of the Center for Neurotechnology at the University of Washington.
16Rao said that many research laboratories have already shown that humans can control computer cursors using BCIs.
17Rao said Neuralink might be different from the others in two ways.
18First, the surgery to implant the device is the first to use a robot to implant flexible electrical connectors into a human brain to record brain signals and to control devices.
19Second, those connectors might record from more parts of the brain than interfaces from other research efforts.
20Rao said other companies such as Synchron, Blackrock Neurotech and Onward Medical are carrying out BCI tests on people using methods that are different from Neuralink.
21Marco Baptista is chief scientific officer of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation.
22He called BCI technology "very exciting" with possible benefits to people with paralysis.
23Through clinical tests, "we'll be able to see what's going to be the winning approach," he said.
24"It's a little early to know."
25A clinical trial follows established rules on how to design an experiment involving human subjects.
26Neuralink announced in 2023 that it had received permission from U.S. officials to begin testing its device in people.
27The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for approving the sale of medical devices.
28Dr. Rita Redberg studies high-risk devices at the University of California, San Francisco.
29Redberg said that most medical devices go on the market without clinical trials.
30However, high-risk devices that are seeking approval from the FDA before they go on the market need what is called an "investigational device exemption."
31Neuralink says it has this exemption.
32I'm Jill Robbins.
1Businessman Elon Musk said a third person has had a special electronic device directly connected to their brain. 2The unidentified person received an implant from Musk's company Neuralink, which makes devices that link the human brain to computers. Neuralink is one of many groups working to connect the human nervous system to machines. 3On the social media service X, which he owns, Musk said: "We've got...three humans with Neuralinks and all are working well." 4Neuralink announced its first brain implant one year ago. Recently, Musk said the company has improved its devices. Musk also said Neuralink hopes to implant the experimental devices in 20 to 30 more people this year. 5The second patient reportedly has a spinal cord injury and got the implant last summer. The person was playing video games with the help of the device and learning how to use design software. The first patient, also paralyzed after a spinal cord injury, said it helped him play video games and chess. 6Many other companies and research groups are working on similar projects. Two studies published last year in the New England Journal of Medicine describe how brain-computer interfaces, known as BCIs, helped people with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) communicate better. ALS is a nervous system disease that affects cells in the brain and spinal cord. 7Others working on brain-computer interface technology 8Nature magazine reported last September that there were published results from 28 trials worldwide of BCIs over the past 25 years. 9Rajesh Rao is co-director of the Center for Neurotechnology at the University of Washington. Rao said that many research laboratories have already shown that humans can control computer cursors using BCIs. 10Rao said Neuralink might be different from the others in two ways. First, the surgery to implant the device is the first to use a robot to implant flexible electrical connectors into a human brain to record brain signals and to control devices. Second, those connectors might record from more parts of the brain than interfaces from other research efforts. 11Rao said other companies such as Synchron, Blackrock Neurotech and Onward Medical are carrying out BCI tests on people using methods that are different from Neuralink. 12Benefits of BCIs 13Marco Baptista is chief scientific officer of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. He called BCI technology "very exciting" with possible benefits to people with paralysis. 14Through clinical tests, "we'll be able to see what's going to be the winning approach," he said. "It's a little early to know." A clinical trial follows established rules on how to design an experiment involving human subjects. 15How are BCIs tested and supervised? 16Neuralink announced in 2023 that it had received permission from U.S. officials to begin testing its device in people. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for approving the sale of medical devices. 17Dr. Rita Redberg studies high-risk devices at the University of California, San Francisco. Redberg said that most medical devices go on the market without clinical trials. However, high-risk devices that are seeking approval from the FDA before they go on the market need what is called an "investigational device exemption." 18Neuralink says it has this exemption. 19I'm Jill Robbins. 20Laura Ungar reported this story for the Associated Press. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English. 21___________________________________________ 22Words in This Story 23implant - n. something placed in a person's body by means of surgery 24spinal cord - n. the large group of nerves which runs through the center of the spine and carries messages between the brain and the rest of the body 25paralyzed - adj. unable to move or feel all or part of the body 26cursor - n. a mark on a computer screen that shows the place where information is being entered or read 27benefit -n. a good result from an action or treatment 28exemption - n. freedom from being required to do something that others are required to do 29What do you think of this story? Write to us in the Comments Section.