Elon Musk's Neuralink company has launched its first clinical trial in Europe, beginning testing of brain implants in the UK.
The study, which will be conducted in collaboration with University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals, will involve seven British patients with severe paralysis caused by spinal cord injuries or neurological diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Professor Harith Akram called the launch of the trials "a major milestone in the development of brain-computer interface technology" with the potential to transform the lives of people with severe neurological disorders.
The aim of the experiment is to implant the N1 chip under the skull of patients and teach them to control smartphones and tablets with the power of their thoughts without touching the screen. The device uses 128 ultra-fine threads, each thinner than a human hair, to connect about 1,000 electrodes to the brain.
Neuralink has already conducted successful trials in the US, where five patients were implanted with chips. One of them is named Alex. Before his spinal cord injury, he worked as a car mechanic, repairing various types of vehicles and large machinery. Now he can even play computer games, thanks to the neurochip.
Founded in 2016, Neuralink has raised around $1.3 billion in investment and is currently valued at nearly $9 billion. In addition to the UK, Neuralink also plans to launch trials in Canada and the UAE.