Musk's brain-computer interface trial recruits second patient

Recently, Musk announced that his company Neuralink is recruiting a second patient to receive brain-computer implants. The target population is patients with quadriplegia due to cervical spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

The so-called brain-computer interface refers to a system that connects the brain to external devices to achieve seamless interaction directly controlled by thoughts. By implanting electrode arrays, these electrodes can detect the electrical activity of brain neurons and convert them into digital commands to ultimately control actions.

Theoretically, brain-computer interface technology can be widely used in many fields: medical treatment, rehabilitation, entertainment, education, etc. Especially for those patients suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), spinal cord injury and other movement disorders, brain-computer interface is undoubtedly a "life-saving straw" for them to regain a normal life. They can control computers, mobile phones and other devices, send and receive emails, browse the web, play games, etc. with their brains alone, which greatly improves their ability to take care of themselves.

However, despite its promising prospects, brain-computer interface technology still faces many challenges and uncertainties.

We can see some clues from Noland Arbaugh, the first patient to receive Neuralink brain-computer implant. After the operation, he was able to play games and chess with his mind, but problems soon arose: some wiring fell off, affecting the information transmission rate, some data was lost, and the device failed for a time. However, through the adjustment of the software algorithm, engineers quickly restored the function of the system.

Although brain-computer interface technology is still in its infancy, its development momentum is unstoppable. According to data, by 2040, the annual output value of the brain-computer interface industry is expected to exceed US$200 billion, with unlimited potential.

Chinese companies are also not absent from this technological race. From Alibaba to Baidu, iFlytek, etc., they have invested in the field of brain-computer interface, and a competition between technology giants may be staged.