Elon Musk's Neuralink unveils new prototype V.2 brain implant, says human trials soon

Breaking News: Neuralink Prototype Unveiled, Human Trials Soon

Neuralink, the neurotechnology company founded by Elon Musk, has unveiled its long-awaited V.2 prototype brain implant, which is set to start human trials soon.

The news was announced at the company's annual event held Thursday night at its headquarters in San Francisco, CA.

Neuralink's V.2 implant is a significant improvement over the previous V.1 model, which was only unveiled in 2019. The newer version is said to be more flexible, easier to implant, and more capable than its predecessor.

The company also unveiled a new robot that will be used to implant the device into the brains of those participating in the trial. The robot will be used to precisely insert the electrodes into the brain without damaging the surrounding tissues.

According to Musk, the company has submitted "most" of the required documentation to the FDA for approval to begin human trials. He went on to note that the company is "confident" in receiving approval "soon."

While the company has previously conducted trials with pigs, using the implants to allow the animals to play a video game with their snouts, Musk emphasized that the company is not yet ready to conduct human trials despite submitting documentation to the FDA.

Musk, who is currently focused on winding down his involvement with Twitter, did not discuss his specific plans after the announcement but did note that the company is "prepared to move extremely fast" once the trials are given the go-ahead.

The announcement comes following a series of activity from the company, which has been steadily hiring new employees and recently receiving $205 million in Series D funding to hire more employees and continue developing the brain implant.

With the new prototype ready and human trials on the horizon, Neuralink is taking another step towards its goal of helping people with brain injuries and other conditions benefit from neural interface technology.

The impact of the technology could potentially be enormous, with applications ranging from helping treat neurological disorders like Alzheimer's and dementia to assisting people with paralysis to regain motor functions.

However, the development of neural interface technology, and its implications for humankind, invites important and complex ethical discussions concerning privacy, data security, and the potential for enhancement of human cognition.

These conversations are only just beginning, and the arrival of Neuralink's V.2 prototype will surely propel them further into the forefront.

Stay tuned for more updates as we await further developments in this exciting and groundbreaking field.