Neuralink Corporation is a neurotechnology enterprise founded by Elon Musk. The main goal is quite challenging: developing implantable brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) to treat several brain deseases and disorders and eventually also anxiety and depression.
Neuralink was founded in 2016 by Elon Musk, Max Hodak, Ben Rapoport, Dongjin Seo, Paul Merolla, Philip Sabes, Tim Gardner, Tim Hanson and Vanessa Tolosa, a group of specialists in fields like neuroscience, biochemistry and robotics. The headquarters are in San Francisco. The company went public in March 2017 and in April announced that they were working on devices to treat serious brain diseases.
In July 2019, the company reached $158 million funding (of which $100 million was from Musk) and had a staff of 90 employees. At that point, the Neuralink responsibles declared they were working on a “sewing machine-like” equipment able of implanting very tiny (4 to 6 μm in width) wires into the brain, and showed a system that gathers information from a laboratory rat via 1,500 electrodes.
What is Neuralink developing?
Neuralink is developing a fully integrated brain-machine interface (BMI) system. BMIs are technologies that allow a digital machine to communicate directly with the human brain. Through these devices, people with paralysis can control computer mouses or keyboards. There is even the possibility of writing information back into the brain, like restoring lost senses. Neuralink project aims to build a device more powerful than those already clinically approved. The device, called the Link, might be able to record from 1024 electrodes.
The two main departments are Implant and Robotics. They are responsible for the development of Link.
- Implant: this team is responsible for every step and action of the neural implant, from sensing the signals originating from the neurons in the brain to sending that information wirelessly to a device.
- Robotics: the robotics team has to insert the neural implant in our patients. It is not possible by hand so a robot is necessary for this task. Neurosurgery needs to be highly precise and quick. the use of robot allows the operation to be completely automated and scalable.
Characteristics of the LINK
- micro threads compatible with the tissue and corrosion resistant
- electrode materials that increase their surface area without increasing their size for more power stimulations
- reduce- size chips with a lower power consumption
- water-proof enclosure from biocompatible materials to adapt to the skull
- algorithms that maintain reliable and robust performance while continuing to improve over time (not yet achieved)
- a small inductive charger wirelessly attached to the implant to charge the battery from the outside.
The company is developing an IOS compatible app that allows the user to control his devices, keyboards and others with only brain stimulation. This is possible with the implementation of a Bluetooth connection to the Link chip. This app is not FDA-approved or available yet.
Info sources: https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-neuralink-not-first-scientists-monkey-control-computer-mind-2021-4?IR=T
Neuralink Corporation ni biashara ya teknolojia ya neva iliyoanzishwa na Elon Musk. Lengo kuu ni changamoto kabisa: kuendeleza interfaces za ubongo-masina (BMI) zinazoweza kupandikizwa kutibu magonjwa kadhaa ya ubongo na matatizo na hatimaye wasiwasi na unyogovu. Neuralink ilianzishwa na Elon Musk, Max Hodak, Ben Rapoport, Dongjin Seo, Paul Merrill, Philip Sabes, Tim Gardner, Tim Hanson na Vanessa Toulouse, kikundi cha wataalamu katika nyanja kama vile neuroscience, biochemistry na roboti. Makao makuu yako San Francisco. Kampuni hiyo ilizinduliwa mnamo Machi 2017 na mnamo Aprili ilitangaza kuwa wanafanya kazi kwenye vifaa vya kutibu magonjwa makubwa ya ubongo. Mnamo Julai 2019, kampuni hiyo ilifikia ufadhili wa $ 158 milioni (ambayo $ 100 milioni ilikuwa kutoka kwa Musk) na ilikuwa na wafanyikazi 90. "Wakati huo, watendaji wa Neuralink walitangaza kuwa walikuwa wakifanya kazi kwenye ""kiwanda cha kushona"" kinachoweza kupandikiza waya ndogo sana (4 hadi 6 μm kwa upana) kwenye ubongo, na walionyesha mfumo ambao hukusanya habari kutoka kwa panya wa maabara kupitia ""electrodes 1,500.""" Ni nini kinachotengenezwa na Neuralink? Neuralink ni mfumo wa ubunifu wa ubongo na mashine (BMI). BIM ni teknolojia ambayo inaruhusu mashine ya digital kuwasiliana moja kwa moja na ubongo wa binadamu. Kupitia vifaa hivyo, watu walio na kupooza wanaweza kudhibiti panya au kibodi za kompyuta. Hata kuna uwezekano wa kuandika habari tena kwenye ubongo, kama vile kurudisha hisi zilizopotea. Mradi wa Neuralink unakusudia kujenga kifaa chenye nguvu zaidi kuliko kile ambacho tayari kimekubaliwa kitiba. "Kipande hicho kinaitwa ""Link"" na kinaweza kurekodi kutoka kwa elektroni 1024." Idara kuu mbili ni Implant na Robotics. Wao ni wajibu kwa ajili ya maendeleo ya Link. Implant: timu hii inawajibika kwa kila hatua na hatua ya implant neural, kutoka kuhisi ishara zinazotokana na neurons katika ubongo kwa kutuma kwamba habari wirelessly kwa kifaa. - Robotics: timu ya roboti lazima kuingiza implant neva katika wagonjwa wetu. Haiwezekani kwa mkono kwa hiyo roboti inahitajika kwa kazi hii. Upasuaji wa neva unahitaji kuwa sahihi sana na wa haraka. matumizi ya robot inaruhusu operesheni kuwa kikamilifu automatiska na scalable. LINK ni micro-threads sambamba na tishu na upinzani wa kutu, vifaa vya electrode ambayo kuongeza eneo la uso wao bila kuongeza ukubwa wao kwa ajili ya nguvu zaidi, kupunguza ukubwa chips na matumizi ya chini ya nguvu, maji-upinzani kifuniko kutoka bio-ambatana vifaa, kurekebisha kwa fuvu, algorithms kwamba kudumisha utendaji wa kuaminika na imara wakati kuendelea kuboresha kwa muda (haijawahi kupatikana). Kampuni hiyo inaendeleza programu inayoendana na iOS ambayo inaruhusu mtumiaji kudhibiti vifaa vyake, keyboard na zingine kwa kuchochea ubongo tu. Hii inawezekana na utekelezaji wa uhusiano wa Bluetooth kwa chip ya Kiungo. Programu hii haijaidhinishwa na FDA au haipatikani bado. "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika makala ya ""Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti."""