Elon’s Brain Chips and the next stage of Human Development

Millions of people around the world have various beliefs on how humans came to be. Some like to think we were evolved from monkeys while many others believe we were created as so. However, a question that’s constantly on the mind of most innovators isn’t just about our past, but rather the next stage of our development and how long it will take us to get there.

When I was younger, many cartoons featured a dystopian future in which humans were being synthesized with robotic parts and engaging in engaging in activities that would normally be impossible. But just how dystopian is this dystopian future and why does it look like more like reality than fiction these days.

I once spent about a week in a hospital because of a foot infection which nearly cost me my toe. Although I came out fine, it really shed some light unto the lives of those without limbs and other vital body parts. We tend to not appreciate what we have till we lose it. Nolan is one of those individuals that have had it quite rough for a long time. Being involved in a diving accident, he got paralyzed from the neck down and has since been through multiple “solutions” to make his life easier. Over the years, it has been incredibly difficult to live with this inability to move without support and literally not being able to type on a keyboard. So what did technology have to say about his condition?

Enter Neuralink

A while back, Elon Musk announced that trials for his new brain implant technology-Neuralink- had begun with animals being the test subjects. The viral video of a monkey named Pager playing pong garnered a lot of attention as the sight of it was nothing short of incredible. Right from the chip in it’s head. It was interacting with a computer and making intentional movements. Mind blowing was exactly how I felt. It felt just like a scene out of an X-Men movie or something.

Obviously, animals were just the first step in this as a couple of months later, human trials began with Nolan. I watched a video where he talked to an audience explaining just how big of an impact this technology had made of his life and how he didn’t even need to interact with a keyboard any longer as he could move the cursor on his computer with mere thought. So just how does this technology work?

Well the BCI (Brain Computer Interface) features over a thousand electrodes, which is far more than any other prior form of this tech. Without getting into unnecessary details, these electrodes record the brain signals which then allow them to be used electrically in scenarios where one could not make these actions. Take Nolan for example. His paralysis prevents him from performing some actions, but with this chip, his brain signals are recorded and necessary actions are taken accordingly.

And of course, why should you care?

While people are quick to judge on just how dangerous this technology is, we cannot ignore the possibilities that it presents. That’s not to say I would ever give myself up to be used as a test for this project, but the sheer amount of courage displayed by Nolan is enough to show just how much he is a believer in this technology. In the interview, he explained how the technology is obviously not perfect but it really is getting there and that he was incredibly grateful to help improve science in the way he has. Plus, I know what you’re thinking and no, your thoughts can’t be shared to Elon and ads won’t come up in your brain based on your thought patterns. I really do see a future where people’s lives are improved because of these chips and disabilities are turning into superpowers.

This isn’t disputing the fact that the prospect of this tech isn’t concerning. Like the fact that a device created by a company co-founded by one of the most innovative but arguably reckless men of the 21st century is put into basically the most crucial part of your body. Or even the fact that we don’t actually know fully the impact of this chip and just what and whatnot it has access to from your brain. Let’s not forget we have seen cases in the past of data leaks from this big firms. The question still remains, can your thoughts actually be leaked or hacked. Frankly, we don’t know and we may never, but like the theme with most of the technology nowadays, we really have to put our best foot forward and get a handle on this technology so we can fully control it. Why? Because it will be developed. It’s just a matter of who develops it first, the good people or those that have ulterior motives. I really hope we can master this tech so we see it’s positive impacts on humanity and hopefully we don’t have Neuralink controlling our thoughts to buy the latest Tesla.

Thanks for reading and see you next week.