Neuralink, Elon Musk's brain chip company, is recruiting for human trials, according to a Sept. 19 post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Patients with quadriplegia due to cervical spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis may qualify, the company said. Those who enroll will receive the implant via a robot-assisted procedure, according to a Sept. 19 news release from the company.
Neuralink earned FDA approval for human trials in May, but advocates warn against the brain interface which aims to address spinal cord injuries. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine said they want Mr. Musk and the company to look at noninvasive brain-interface options that don't come with risks of surgical complications.
"Researchers elsewhere have already made progress to improve patient health using such noninvasive methods, which do not come with the risk of surgical complications, infections, or additional operations to repair malfunctioning implants," the group said in a May 26 statement. "Noninvasive devices are already demonstrating the ability to improve quality of life for older adults and elderly patients, translate brain activity into intelligible speech, and assist paralyzed patients."