Neuralink, the most ambitious neurotechnology company from Elon Musk to date, has raised funding to the tune of US$200 million to further develop its revolutionary brain-machine interface (BMI) technology. Following this latest funding, the valuation of the company crossed US$10 billion, vaulting the company into the league of one of the most valuable privately held firms across the US. Neuralink’s BCI technology aspires to achieve faultless communication between the human brain and computers, with someday potential implementation in medicine, education, and entertainment. These implantable devices from Neuralink will be able to detect neural activity and provide neural stimulation that will enable a user to control a device with the power of his mind and, at the same time, treat many medical conditions, such as paralysis, depression, and anxiety.
The latest funding round was led by Founders Fund, a leading venture capital firm known for its investments in a wide array of cutting-edge technologies. Joining Founders Fund in this round are Khosla Ventures, Founders Capital, and several prominent angel investors. Neuralink’s technology is under very rapid development, and so far already, the business has created a bank of implantable devices that can read and write neural signals. Neuralink announced that in 2020, it had successfully put a chip into a pig’s brain, giving it the ability to control a computer with its mind. The company is now gearing up to scale up its operations and head toward human clinical trials. The fresh funding will let Neuralink speed this up in order to get its research and development done more quickly and commercialize its technology for wide use. “This funding will enable us to further advance our technology and bring it to the next level,” said Elon Musk, CEO of Neuralink.
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“We are looking forward to continuing to push the edge on what’s possible for brain-computer interfaces while making a meaningful difference in people’s lives.” The technology of BCI is such that it has the potential to revolutionize quite a number of industries and facets of our lives. For example, people who have been paralyzed or those who have other motor disorders will be able to be in control of prosthetic limbs or communicate through means offered by Neuralink devices. Such technology can be implemented for gaming purposes or other forms of entertainment where a person will be able to control virtual objects and characters. However, aware of the risks and ethical considerations that come with it, apprehensions against Neuralink’s technology are also rising.
Experts have warned that BCI technology might be exploited to hack people’s thoughts and actions. Knowing well that the process will go ahead with apprehension, Neuralink compromises not a bit when it comes to ensuring its safety and security at the endpoints of this technology. The organization is cooperating closely with regulatory bodies and ethicists to ensure proper safeguards and protection while developing devices. On the back of its latest funding injection, Neuralink is about to make a strong headway into the development of brain-computer interface technology. Testing the boundaries in what’s possible, the company has continued, probably indicating that in the near, immediate future, huge steps will be taken in this sphere.
