Neuralink: Test candidate controls PC mouse using only thoughts

Neuralink has positive news to report. After the brain chip was used in a human for the first time, there has now been a first breakthrough. As company boss Elon Musk reports, a test subject is said to have controlled a mouse using his thoughts alone.

Neuralink used in humans for the first time

When it was announced in May 2023 that Neuralink would be allowed to test its brain chip on humans, public opinion was divided. On the one hand, there were doctors who saw the brain chip as the solution to many neurological diseases. On the other hand, there are ethicists who are rather critical of the merging of “man and machine”. In any case, the company has only positive things to report from its first test on humans.

The test subject is therefore in good physical condition. The first successes of the inserted chip can probably already be observed. According to a report by Reuters, the patient is able to control a computer mouse using only his thoughts. The news agency bases this on statements made by company boss Elon Musk during an event at X. This is a real breakthrough for the company.

Where will the journey take us?

Hands-free control of the computer mouse by thought alone initially seems like a bit of a gimmick. However, according to founder Elon Musk, the Neuralink chip will enable far more than just greater comfort when operating a computer. In medical terms in particular, the possibilities are almost limitless. This is due to the central role that our brain plays in many diseases. The Neuralink chip should not only be able to combat diseases such as depression, schizophrenia or autism. The chip should also be able to treat common diseases such as obesity.

Of course, the whole thing has a bitter aftertaste. This is not only because the merging of the human brain with a chip is somehow reminiscent of the beginning of a dystopian science fiction scenario. On top of that, Neuralink has not only made positive headlines since its inception. In particular, the experiments on monkeys have always been viewed critically. Many animals are said to have died in the course of the experiments, which puts the current tests on humans in a completely different light. We are curious to see where the journey of the brain chip will take us.