Neurotechnology has reached a new milestone as Elon Musk’s Neuralink revealed that it has implanted the first BCI into a human. This discovery is a major advancement towards integrating human brain with artificial intelligence and could have major implications in the future of neurological disorders as well as human performance enhancement.

The trial which started half a year ago, entailed the implantation of a small chip – roughly the size of a coin – into the brain of a volunteer patient with paralysis. The device named the N1 Link has thousands of tiny electrodes that can both monitor and alter the brain’s activity. During the course of the trial, the patient was able to use his mind to move a cursor across a computer screen and type out words – showing the possibilities of direct neural interface technology.

First, Neuralink has a rather distinct strategy from prior BCI efforts in a number of aspects. The N1 Link is wireless, thereby, avoiding the use of complicated external wires which may cause infection. It also has a much higher bandwidth than previous implants meaning that it can be controlled more precisely and responsively. Also, the implantation surgery of the device is quite simple and can be done within few hours with the help of a specially designed robot.

The success of this trial is a promising sign for people with paralysis, spinal cord injuries or neurodegenerative diseases. Since the company’s device would be able to avoid such connections, it would be able to bring movement and communication skills back to the people who have lost them. The future use might involve the ability to give the blind their sight back or the deaf their hearing by directly activating the specific areas of the brain.

In addition to the medical usages, Neuralink’s technology can further improve human cognition. Musk has discussed the potential of applying BCIs as an enhancement of memory, a boost in the rate of cognition or straight brain-to-brain connection. Although such ideas may sound like a futuristic concept, the success of this first human trial makes such ideas more achievable.

However, the creation of such potent neural interfaces is problematic from an ethical and privacy point of view. Some critics are concerned with the threat of hacking people’s brain, or the development of a ‘neural divide’ that would result from only some people being able to afford enhancements. The issues are being attended by Neuralink and the regulating authorities to ensure that proper measures are taken as the technology advances.

Medical professionals have greeted the results of the trial with some degree of optimism. Although the advantages are apparent, most scholars emphasize that more extended research is required to determine the outcomes of the implant on the patient’s health. Some concerns are still to be addressed such as the lifespan of the device, the body’s ability to accept the implant in the long run, and the possible side effects on the neurons.

Neuralink is not the only company or research organization that is seeking to develop higher level of BCIs. Other players in the market and research organizations are also not lagging behind in this area, although they have their own individual techniques. This competition is bringing a fast pace for the development of such technologies and might help in the creation of practical neural interfaces.

As for the future of Neuralink, the company is going to widen the number of patients who will participate in trials as well as extend the spectrum of possibilities. The following stage will involve the enhancement of the technology, enhancing the experience of the users and collection of more data on the performance and safety of the technology in the long run.

However, there is a long way to go before BCIs are commercially available, but this successful human test is a huge turning point in the field of neurotechnology. It leads us one step closer to the era where the boundary between man and machine is increasingly hard to define, and creating possibilities in the fields of medicine, communication and human capability.