Elon Musk's company has announced that it has received permission to conduct its first clinical trials in Canada. The purpose of the trial is to test a device that will allow paralyzed people to control digital devices using only their thoughts.
This was reported by Reuters , UNN and UNN.
The study will evaluate the safety and functionality of a brain implant that will help people with quadriplegia, or paralysis of all four limbs, to control external devices via brain signals.
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One of the University Health Network hospitals in Toronto was chosen to perform the complex neurosurgical operation to implant the device. Neuralink has already performed similar procedures in the United States. The company claims that the device is working well in the second patient, who uses it to play video games and develop 3D objects.
The company, founded in 2016 by Musk, is also working on a brain chip that can be implanted directly into the skull, with the prospect of helping patients regain movement, communication, and even vision. In September, the startup received “breakthrough device” designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its experimental implant aimed at restoring vision.