Human experiments have been performed on 50 people. The company’s next challenge is to get the chip into wider use as well.
This is what a microchip implanted in the brain looks like. Blackrock Neurotech/Press Kit
A microchip installed in the brain sounds like a runaway invention from science fiction, but at least for the American company Blackrock Neurotech, this is everyday life.
According to them, a microchip implanted in the brain could cure blindness, deafness and depression. In addition, the chip could be used to move a robot arm, without the user having to move at all.
The chip is called NeuroPort.
– Our chip has enabled its users to link to a computer, use a mechanical hand, move around in a wheelchair, play video games and even regain their senses, the company’s founding member Marcus Gerhardt states.
The company has conducted human trials on 50 people. Research has been done in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh. According to Gerhardt, they are the only company that has done human trials with a chip implanted in the brain.
To improve the quality of life of the paralyzed
The chip reads the brain’s electrical signals using a hundred microneedles. Electrical signals are implemented as computer commands with the help of machine learning. According to the company, this could improve the quality of life of the paralyzed, for example.
– Our purpose is to improve the mobility and independence of the paralyzed, which ultimately also has an impact on the quality of life, says Gerhardt.
The company’s next challenge is to get permission from the US health authorities to use the chip outside the test laboratory.
Another company that has developed similar technology is Elon Musk’s owned by Neuralink. According to Reuters However, Neuralink has not received permission from the authorities to start human trials due to safety risks.
They have told about it, among other things Unilad and Daily Star.