Why is it in the News?

Recently, Elon Musk announced his brain chip company, Neuralink, has completed its first implant on a human patient.

What is Neuralink?

• Neuralink is an upcoming medical device called a brain-computer interface that can help paralysed persons or amputees regain some sense of movement.
• It will decode signals from a part of the brain that plans movements.
• These signals will then be used to control external devices such as computers and mobile phones, allowing the participants to browse the web or play online games with just their thoughts even as their limbs are immobile.
• Under the PRIME Study (short for Precise Robotically Implanted Brain-Computer Interface) an N1 implant will be surgically placed by an R1 robot in the brain.
  • The N1 implant has 1,024 electrodes distributed across 64 threads that are thinner than human hair.
  • The R1 robot has been designed to insert these threads very accurately in a specific region of the brain.

Current Scenario in the Brain-Computer Interface?

• Recent breakthroughs in brain-computer interfaces have led to remarkable advancements, including systems capable of translating neural signals into speech at nearly the speed of natural speech and bi-directional interfaces that offer sensory feedback to the brain.
• In a notable development, researchers in Switzerland documented a case involving a man paralyzed from the waist down who regained the ability to walk.
  • This feat was achieved through the use of a digital bridge that bypassed the damaged portion of his spinal cord.
  • By employing a brain-spine interface, the signals from his brain were converted into stimulation for his spine, enabling him to walk again.
• While it may take several years before such devices are commercially available, the scientific progress in this field is remarkable.
• These advancements hold promise for individuals paralyzed due to accidents, offering potential mobility with the assistance of spinal implants.

What are the Challenges?

• One of the main challenges of the technology is establishing the connection between the brain and the chips, allowing it to reliably interpret the signals from the brain.”
• The use of conventional electronics for developing brain-computer interfaces results in a “mismatch with the soft tissue of the brain.”
  • This can lead to tissue damage and immune response to the sensors.
• Flexible electronics with tissue-like properties can help build interfaces that do not face these problems.
• It can also help the systems adapt to changes in the brain volume during development, ageing and disease.