Neuralink: Current Insights Revealed
Neuralink, a neurotechnology company founded by Elon Musk in 2016, has made significant strides in its brain-computer interface (BCI) technology. The company's first in-human clinical trial, known as the PRIME Study, was launched in May 2023 after receiving FDA approval.
The PRIME Study, which focuses on patients with severe neurological conditions caused by spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), aims to enable participants to control computers, smartphones, and potentially robotic devices by thought. As of August 2025, at least eight additional participants have received the Neuralink implant in trials across the United States, Canada, the U.K., and the United Arab Emirates.
The N1 Implant and Its Capabilities
The Neuralink implant, known as the N1 Implant or "the Link," is a surgically embedded neural-chip implant designed to decode and stimulate brain activity. Each wire contains sensors capable of recording and emitting electrical currents. The implant is coin-sized and receives information from neural threads that fan out into different sections of a subject's brain in control of motor skills.
One of the early participants, Noland Arbaugh, received the first Neuralink implant on January 28, 2024. In the weeks following his surgery, he successfully used the implant to control his laptop while lying in bed. Another participant, Bradford Smith, the first non-verbal patient and the third human recipient, received the implant in January 2025.
Expanding Research and Ethical Considerations
Neuralink is also expanding its research with initiatives like the "Blindsight" trial, which aims to restore vision in blind patients by bypassing damaged optic pathways and stimulating the visual cortex with an implant that receives signals from a camera on glasses. This trial is in its early stages, conducted in collaboration with institutions including the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Despite these advances, significant ethical and safety concerns remain, particularly regarding the invasiveness of the implants, long-term safety data, potential risks of brain surgery, device removal, and privacy of neural data. There is ongoing scrutiny related to past animal testing and Neuralink’s workplace culture, but the company stresses the careful and deliberate pace of its human trial progression.
Future Goals and Breakthrough Designations
In May 2025, Neuralink received FDA Breakthrough Device Designation for speech, aiming to expedite the development of BCI devices that restore communication for individuals with severe speech impairment. In September 2024, the company received a similar designation for its Blindsight device, an implant used to generate and restore visual perception for individuals who have lost the ability to see.
Neuralink has also developed a Neuralink-specific app that allows a person to manipulate a keyboard and mouse using only their mind. The company's long-term goals include pursuing restoring motor, sensory, and visual functions as well as treatment of neurological disorders.
In addition, Neuralink has built a neurosurgical robot that's designed to become fully automated for the implantation of the N1 Implant. With these advancements, Neuralink continues to push the boundaries of neurotechnology and holds promise for those living with severe neurological conditions.
[1] Neuralink. (2023). Neuralink's First In-Human Clinical Trial Launches. Retrieved from https://www.neuralink.com/news/neuralink-first-in-human-clinical-trial
[2] Stat News. (2023). Neuralink's first human trial implantation is complete. Retrieved from https://www.statnews.com/2023/01/28/neuralinks-first-human-trial-implantation-is-complete/
[3] University of California, Santa Barbara. (2023). Neuralink Announces Collaboration with UCSB on Restoring Vision. Retrieved from https://www.ucsb.edu/about/news/neuralink-announces-collaboration-ucsb-restoring-vision
[4] The Verge. (2023). Neuralink's first human trial will start in 2023. Retrieved from https://www.theverge.com/22767790/neuralink-human-trial-2023-fda-approval
[5] The Washington Post. (2023). Neuralink’s first human trial is set to begin. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/05/01/neuralink-first-human-trial-set-begin/
- The PRIME Study, focusing on patients with severe neurological conditions like spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is using Neuralink's technology to enable participants to control devices by thought, furthering the exploration of health-and-wellness technology and science in the realm of medical-conditions.
- Beyond restoring communication for individuals with speech impairment, Neuralink's long-term goals are to pursue the treatment of neurological disorders and expand its reach into areas like vision, aiming to bypass damaged optic pathways and stimulate the visual cortex through technology, thereby expanding the frontiers of science and health-and-wellness in the medical-conditions sector.
