How Neuralink will Change the World

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What is Neuralink and How it Will Revolutionize Modern Medical Treatments

Introduction

In 2016, Elon Musk announced the creation of a new company called Neuralink, which aims to develop technologies that connect human brains to computers. The goal of this company is to establish a brain-computer interface (BCI) that would allow humans to communicate with machines directly. The idea of interfacing human brains with computers may seem like something from a science fiction movie, but it is rapidly becoming a reality. Two pieces of equipment are being created by Neuralink. The first involves implanting a chip with electrodes into the human brain inside their skulls. The second option is a robot that could put the chip in autonomously. In this article, we will discuss what neurotechnology is, what a brain-computer interface is, what Elon Musk hopes to achieve with Neuralink, and how it will revolutionize modern medicine, and change the world.

What is Neuratechnology?

Neurotechnology refers to technology that uses the electrical activity of the brain to achieve various goals such as brain-computer interfaces. monitoring brain activity, treating diseases, and enhancing cognitive performance. Neurotechnology is a rapidly expanding field with the potential to revolutionize industries such as healthcare, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence. Neurotechnology is currently being used in research to understand diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and epilepsy. It is also being used to develop brain prosthetic interfaces that can control prosthetic limbs, computers, and other devices.

What are Brian-Computer Interfaces?

A brain-computer interface (BCI) is a technology that allows direct communication between the human brain and a computer. In a BCI, The coin-sized chip Neuralink would be implanted into the skulls of someone. The patient's brain is connected to the chip by a network of minuscule wires that are each about 20 times thinner than a human hair. 

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1,024 electrodes are installed on the wires, allowing them to track brain activity and, in theory, activate the brain electrically. The chip wirelessly communicates this data to computers so that researchers can analyze and decode it into commands that can be used to control external devices such as computers, prosthetic limbs, and every vehicle. Application of BCI includes allowing paralyzed patients to communicate with the outside world by controlling a cursor on a computer screen, allowing people to control drones using their thoughts, and allowing people to control robotics exoskeletons to move their limbs.

What does Elon Musk Want Neuralink to achieve with the implementation of Neurotechnology?

Elon Musk's vision for Neuralink is to create a human-AI Symbiosis, where humans and AI work together to augment human intelligence. One of the main goals of Neuralink is to create a high-bandwidth brain-machine interface (BMI) that will allow humans to communicate with AI with a high degree of precision and speed. Musk believes that such a development could lead to the AI being used as a prosthetics extension of the brain, Improving the speed and efficiency of cognitive tasks such as learning, decision -making and creativity.

One of the most significant ways that Neuralink will change the world is by improving the quality of life for people with disabilities. The BMI developed by Neuralink has the potential to help people with paralysis, amputations, and other disabilities to regain control of their bodies. The device can be implanted in the brain and connected to the computer, allowing the user to control a prosthetic limb or other device with their thoughts.

How will it Revolutionise Modern Medical Technology?

Brain-related diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and  Epilepsy are some of the most challenging conditions to treat. By establishing BCI's neural activity can be recorded and used to monitor brain activity continually. This technology could be used to detect and treat diseases before they progress to advanced stages where they become difficult to treat. BCIs could also be used to restore lost sensory functions such as touch or hearing in patients who have suffered from strokes or other neurological disorders. The device will also be used to monitor brain activity in patients with depression, allowing doctors to develop more effective treatments.

How it will change the world?

The potential applications of Neuralink technology are vast and far-reaching. BCIs could be used to allow paralyzed individuals to control prosthetic limbs with their minds, restoring mobility and independence. Neuralink technology could also revolutionize the field of artificial intelligence, allowing humans to communicate with AI with incredible speed and precision. This technology could have substantial implications for the military, allowing soldiers to control drones and other unmanned vehicles from safe locations. Brain-computer interfaces could also be used to allow people to communicate telepathically, which could dramatically increase communication speeds and lead to entirely new typologies of communication.  

Improvement in the Quality of Life 

Technologies such as BCI have the potential to improve the quality of life of people who suffer from various disabilities, It would help patients who suffer from stroke or spinal cord injury to regain lost sensory functions such as touch or hearing. Neuralink technology would lead to significant advancements in the field of medical technology. It would accelerate the discovery of new treatments by allowing researchers to understand the brain better.

Increased Efficiency 

Nuralinks (BMI) technology has the potential to increase efficiency in a variety of industries. For example, the device could be used to control robots in manufacturing plants. allowing for greater precision and efficiency. The device could also be used to control drones, allowing for more accurate and efficient delivery of goods.

Latest Developments 

Neuralink has made significant progress in the field of neuroscience since its founding in 2016. In July 2019, the company announced that it had developed a device that could be implanted in the brain and allow for direct communication between the brain and computer, the device, called the N1 sensor, is about the size of a large coin and contains more than 3,000 electrodes. 

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In August 2020, Neuralink held a live demonstration of the N1 sensor, showing a pig named Gertrude with the device could detect neural activity in real time and transmit that information to a computer.

Real Scenario Examples 

There are already real-world examples of how Neuralink BCI technology is changing lives. In 2020, a man named Nathan Copeland, who had been paralyzed from the chest down for over a decade, was able to control a robotic arm using a BMI developed by the University of Pittsburg and funded by Neuralink. The device allowed Copeland to perform tasks such as picking its contents into a glass.  

Image GIF Source: PBS News Hour 

In another example, a woman named Jan Scheuermann, who had been paralyzed from the neck down for a decade, was able to control a robotic arm using an MBI developed by the University of Pittsburg and funded by Neuralink. the device allowed Scheuermann to perform tasks such as feeding herself and drinking from a cup.

Latest News

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In February 2021, Elon Musk announced that Neuralink had implanted a BMI device in a monkey that allowed it to play video games using only its mind. the monkey was able to control a computer cursor using its thoughts and was rewarded with a banana smoothie for successfully completing the game.

Conclusion 

The development of neural technology brain-computer interfaces and brain-machine interfaces is poised to revolutionize industries such as healthcare, artificial intelligence, and even the military. With the creation of Neuralink, Elon Musk has demonstrated his commitment to developing technologies that extend beyond the scope of traditional human-machine interaction. the implementation of BCI has the potential to revolutionize medicine and improve the quality of life for people who suffer from various disabilities. The potential applications of Neuralink technology are vast and far-reaching. By expanding our ability to communicate with machines, humans may be able to achieve feats never before imagined.