The device is described as being about the size of five stacked quarters, and is implanted by removing a portion of the skull and then attaching it using electrodes that are stitched into the brain. Rats were the first to have a Neuralink device implanted into their skulls and, last year, Musk introduced a pig, named Gertrude, who also underwent the invasive surgical procedure.
The richest man in the world has been funding a controversial
neurology study and, most recently, boasted about a monkey who, as
part of this research, has a neural implant that helps the animal
play video games with his/her mind. Through his company, Neuralink,
Elon Musk ultimately wants to make a device that can translate
electrical signals in the human brain to a computer.
The device is described as being about the size of five stacked
quarters, and is implanted by removing a portion of the skull and
then attaching it using electrodes that are stitched into the brain.
Rats were the first to have a Neuralink device implanted into their
skulls and, last year, Musk introduced a pig, named Gertrude, who
also underwent the invasive surgical procedure.
While Musk revealed little about the monkey, most primates used in
similar neurological research undergo invasive surgical procedures
to insert electrical implants on their heads and are forced to
endure being strapped in a chair and immobilized for several hours
at a time. They are also sometimes deprived of food or water to
provide motivation to perform tasks. Primates are active, social
animals and this kind of confinement and isolation can cause
tremendous suffering and distress. To them, this research is no
game!