"Initial results show promising neuron spike
detection," Musk said in a post on the social media platform X on Monday.
Spikes are activity by neurons, which the National Institute
of Health describes as cells that use electrical and chemical signals to send
information around the brain and to the body.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration had given the company
clearance last year to conduct its first trial to test its implant on humans, a
critical milestone in the startup's ambitions to help patients overcome
paralysis and a host of neurological conditions.
In September, Neuralink said it received approval for
recruitment for the human trial.
The study uses a robot to surgically place a brain-computer
interface (BCI) implant in a region of the brain that controls the intention to
move, Neuralink said previously, adding that its initial goal is to enable
people to control a computer cursor or keyboard using their thoughts alone.
The implants' "ultra-fine" threads help transmit
signals in participants' brains, Neuralink has said.
The first product from Neuralink would be called Telepathy,
Musk said in a separate post on X.
The startup's PRIME Study is a trial for its wireless
brain-computer interface to evaluate the safety of the implant and surgical
robot.
Neuralink did not immediately respond to a Reuters request
for further details.
The company has faced calls for scrutiny regarding its
safety protocols. Reuters reported earlier this month that the company was
fined for violating U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) rules regarding the
movement of hazardous materials.
The company was valued at about $5 billion last June, but
four lawmakers in late November asked the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission to investigate whether Musk had misled investors about the safety of
its technology after veterinary records showed problems with the implants on
monkeys included paralysis, seizures and brain swelling.
Musk wrote in a social media post on Sept. 10 that "no
monkey has died as a result of a Neuralink implant." He added that the
company chose "terminal" monkeys to minimize risk to healthy ones.