[Elon] Musk confirmed that Neuralink’s technology would allow people to “listen to music directly from our chips.”
He also said that Neuralink “could help control hormone levels and use them to our advantage (enhanced abilities and reasoning, anxiety relief, etc.).”
Since its founding in 2016, Neuralink has only held one major public presentation about how the technology will work.
Speaking at the 2019 event, Mr Musk said the firm was working on a “sewing machine-like” device that would provide a direct connection between a computer and a chip inserted within the brain.
The technology could will first be used to help people suffering from brain diseases like Parkinson’s, but the ultimate aim of Neuralink is to allow humans to compete with advanced artificial intelligence, he said.
The process of having the chip fitted will be similar to Lasik laser eye surgery, according to Mr Musk.
One part of it will involve a neurosurgical robot, which fits flexible “threads” into the brain connected to a tiny implantable computer chip.
Earlier this month, Mr Musk hinted that Neuralink’s chip will be able to cure depression and addiction by “retraining” the parts of the brain responsible for these afflictions.
Trials have already been carried out on animals and human trials were originally scheduled to take place this year, though details are yet to be made public.
More information is set to be announced on 28 August.
