Latest news with #paralysis
Telegraph
10 hours ago
- Health
- Telegraph
British patients to get Musk's Neuralink brain chip implants
British patients are to be implanted with Elon Musk's Neuralink brain chip in an attempt to allow paralysed people to control a smartphone with their thoughts. Mr Musk's start-up, which has already conducted tests in the US, said it was launching a clinical study in the UK with University College London Hospitals and Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust after getting the green light from UK medical regulators. The trial will recruit seven patients whose movement is severely impaired from spinal cord injuries or neurological conditions, installing Neuralink's chip under their skull to communicate with a smartphone or tablet. The company's N1 chip – a so-called Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) – is about the size of a 10p coin and connects to the human brain with 128 threads that are thinner than a human hair. These threads connect 1,000 electrodes to the human brain that can read electrical signals generated by neural activity, turning these waves into keyboard strokes or cursor movements. Neuralink said: 'The launch of this study in Great Britain builds upon the successes of our trials in the US and marks an important step towards bringing our life-changing BCI technology to individuals with neurological disorders around the world.' Last year, Noland Arbaugh, from Arizona, became the first human to be implanted with Neuralink's brain chip. He has since demonstrated how the chip allows him to control a computer and play complicated video games. After his operation, however, around 85pc of the threads from his Neuralink chip lost their connection to his brain. The company was able to maintain a high level of performance using software updates to improve how the chip read his brain signals. While Neuralink is initially aimed at patients with serious health conditions, Mr Musk has long claimed that its chips could ultimately lead to a kind of human-AI 'symbiosis', boosting the brain power of otherwise healthy humans. He said on a podcast he expected hundreds of millions of people to have brain-chips installed, claiming it would give people 'superhuman abilities', allow them to 'upload your memories' or cure blindness. Neuralink has already begun work on trials in Canada and the UAE, although the UK is the first country in Europe to launch a study of the technology. It has been approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. University College London said Neuralink's technology had the 'potential to transform the lives of individuals with neurological disorders around the world'. The operations will be undertaken using Neuralink's R1 surgical robot. Professor Harith Akram, a consultant neurosurgeon at the hospital, said the launch of the study 'represents a major milestone in the development of brain-computer interface technology, with the potential to transform the lives of people living with severe neurological disorders worldwide'. William Muirhead, a consultant neurosurgeon at the National Hospital for Neurology, said: 'This study reflects our commitment to pioneering therapies that restore function, independence, and communication in patients with profound neurological disability.'
Daily Mail
10 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Elon Musk's brain chip company Neuralink to test implants in UK
Elon Musk 's brain implant company will launch a clinical study in Britain to test how its chips can allow severely paralysed patients to control everyday items with their thoughts. Neuralink is partnering with University College London Hospitals Trust and Newcastle Hospitals for the project, it said today. Those living with paralysis due to conditions such as spinal cord injuries and a nervous system disease called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis qualify for the study, the company revealed in a post on X. The firm began human trials on its brain implant last year after resolving safety concerns flagged by the US Food and Drug Administration. Five patients around the world with severe paralysis are using its device, according to Neuralink. They include a woman who has been paralysed for 20 years and has now regained the ability to use a computer. Audrey Crews, from Louisiana, revealed on X last month how she was now able to write her name on a computer screen thanks to Neuralink's implant. 'I tried writing my name for the first time in 20 years. I'm working on it,' Ms Crews posted during her first signature attempt since 2005. She was severely injured in a car accident aged 16, damaging two vertebrae in her neck and leaving her with no feeling in her arms and legs. Mr Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, co-founded Neuralink in 2016 with a group of neuroscience, engineering, and robotics experts. Their goal was to merge human intelligence with artificial intelligence, treat brain disorders and potentially enhance human capabilities. The billionaire said in June that the chip technology had made 'an incredible amount of progress'. But he emphasised the company's cautious approach, adding: 'The reason we're not moving faster than we are is because we're taking great care with each individual to make sure we never miss - and, so far, we haven't.'
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Musk's Neuralink to test brain chips in clinical study in Great Britain
(Reuters) - Elon Musk's brain implant company Neuralink said on Thursday it will launch a clinical study in Great Britain to test how its chips can enable patients with severe paralysis to control digital and physical tools with their thoughts. The company is partnering with the University College London Hospitals trust and Newcastle Hospitals to conduct the study, it said in a post on X. Neuralink said patients living with paralysis due to conditions such as spinal cord injury and a nervous system disease called Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) qualify to participate in the study. The company raised $650 million in its latest funding round last month. It began human trials in 2024 on its brain implant after resolving safety concerns flagged by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which had initially rejected Neuralink's application in 2022. According to the company, five patients with severe paralysis are currently using its device to control digital and physical tools with their thoughts. Neuralink, founded in 2016, has raised about $1.3 billion from investors and is valued at roughly $9 billion, according to media reports, citing PitchBook.
CNA
13 hours ago
- Health
- CNA
Musk's Neuralink to launch a clinical study in Great Britain
Elon Musk's brain implant company Neuralink said on Thursday it will launch a clinical study in Great Britain to test how its chips can enable patients with severe paralysis to control digital and physical tools with their thoughts.
Reuters
13 hours ago
- Health
- Reuters
Musk's Neuralink to launch a clinical study in Great Britain
July 31 (Reuters) - Elon Musk's brain implant company Neuralink said on Thursday it will launch a clinical study in Great Britain to test how its chips can enable patients with severe paralysis to control digital and physical tools with their thoughts.
