About Elon, Neuralink and Telepathy
So, we kick off the first lines of 2024, and I do it with a couple of resolutions for improvement for this new year:
Guest signatures or startups, the truth is that in 2023, I thought it would be a good idea to invite a founder or CEO to speak about their project at the end of each term. I must recognize it didn’t turn out; schedules are complicated, and good intentions are not always enough.
Social media, I had thought about giving up sharing on Linkedin at the end of 2023 because I prefer X more, but I will continue posting on both platforms, as well as on my Telegram channel.
And the first post of the year, of course, features Elon and Neuralink as protagonists. It’s not the first time we’ve talked about them here.
After FDA approval in May 2023 to begin a study with humans on the implantation of these devices, Elon Musk himself stated a few hours ago on X that the first implant had been successfully performed:
Elon himself revealed just a couple of hours after that announcement that the product would be called ‘Telepathy’ and would allow users with disabilities, like Stephen Hawking had at that time, to “communicate faster than an auctioneer.”
On the Neuralink website, they explain that their mission is to create a generalized brain interface to restore autonomy to those with currently unmet medical needs and unlock the human potential of tomorrow.
They continue to explain that brain-computer interfaces have the potential to improve lives, and they want to bring this technology from the laboratory to people’s homes.
Neuralink Corporation is a neurotechnology company founded by Elon Musk in 2016. The idea is to create high-speed bidirectional connections between the brain and external devices, which could have revolutionary applications in areas such as medicine, artificial intelligence, and cognitive enhancement.
Key aspects of the company include:
- Brain-machine interface (BCI): The company is working on the development of ultrathin and flexible electrodes, called ‘threads,’ implanted in the brain to record and stimulate neuronal activity. These threads connect to a small device called ‘Link,’ placed at the back of the skull.
- Medical goals: Neuralink has initially focused on medical applications, such as treating neurological disorders. For example, the technology could help restore mobility in paralyzed individuals, treat conditions like epilepsy or depression, and address other neurological diseases. Cognitive enhancement and human capability: In the long term, Elon Musk has expressed his vision of using Neuralink to enhance human cognitive abilities, allowing people to access and process information more efficiently and quickly. This could include the ability to communicate telepathically, access information instantly, or even connect minds directly.
- Progress and demonstrations: Neuralink has conducted some public demonstrations of its technology, showing advancements in the ability of a monkey and a pig to control computers and external devices through brain-machine interfaces.
Normally, all disruptive advances, as the proposal of Neuralink undoubtedly is, will generate potential conflicts. The development of brain-machine interfaces raises important ethical questions. Privacy, data security, and potential misuse of the technology are concerns that need to be addressed as Neuralink advances in its research.
But like the use of a weapon, a knife, a high-speed vehicle, or a simple mobile phone; ethical conflicts should not prevent access to the value that technology offers us to substantially improve the quality of life for people.
Undoubtedly, we are experiencing one of the most exciting periods in history in terms of advances at the intersection of health and technology.
EDUCATIONAL PILLS:
International Master in Medical Affairs. Program part of the educational offerings of the BioTech and Pharma School. In Memoriam César Nombela. Certified by the Catholic University of Ávila. Information
Advanced Management Program. IE Business School. Executive Development Programs. Information
AI in Medicine PhD Track. Harvard Medical School
READING PILLS:
Top 25 Biotech Companies of 2024. Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology news
Generative AI in the pharmaceutical industry: Moving from hype to reality. McKinsey & Company
Obesity drugs have another superpower: taming inflammation. Nature
Spain: Health Profile of the Country 2023. OECD
How many people die from the flu? Our World in Data
STARTUP PILLS:
Investment opportunities. Capital Cell
PODCAST PILLS:
David Sinclair & other experts discuss SIRT6. X/ Formerly Twitter
Interview with Diego Ballesteros. ANCLA LIFE
EVENT PILLS:
Health Economics and Policy Evaluation Course. March 2024 — online. OXFORD UNIVERSITY. Registration
Drug Development Boot Camp® Spring 2024 VIRTUAL. April 10–11, 2024 Drugs to market
