Neuralink via YouTube
Would you let Elon Musk plant a chip into your brain?
On Friday, Musk and the team behind Neuralink did just that. Researchers embedded the device in a pig named Gertrude, transmitting signals from her brain to a computer screen. Gertrude, characteristically nonplussed, continued to devour treats as her brain merged with the singularity.
While this type of brain stimulation is nothing new— doctors routinely implant electrodes into human brains to treat epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease— the Neuralink is particularly groundbreaking. It uses wireless technology and is about the size of a large coin, a stark contrast to the bulky, implantable devices typical of other healthcare technology.
Musk eventually plans to test the device on humans, claiming that it can be used to treat a myriad of conditions, including paralysis, blindness, and depression.
However, the potential benefits don’t stop there. Musk suggested that the device can eventually be used to telepathically summon Teslas or stream Grimes’ latest album straight to your brain.
As Musk put it last week: “The future is going to be weird.”
Gertrude is in for a treat.