ELON Musk's brain-chip firm says it has received approval from the US Food and Drugs Administration to conduct its first tests on humans.
The Neuralink implant company wants to help restore vision and mobility to people by linking brains to computers.
However, the company stated it does not have immediate plans to start recruiting participants.
Australia's RMIT University, School of Engineering Prof Dinesh Kumar shared, "although Neuralink is creating a step in the right direction for brain-computer interface advancement, it is making promises that are simply misleading.
"In terms of technology, Neuralink has gone further than others," Kumar said.
"The biggest selling point for them is their medical procedure, essentially having a CED scan and robotic surgery built into one.
"It has also developed a very accurate electrode placement system that won't compromise blood flow while injecting 1,000 electrodes into the brain.
"The medical procedure requires extensive surgery with the skull being cut open and the electronic chip being placed inside - but there are several problems with this," Kumar said.
"Firstly, infection, although any surgery has a risk of infection, this is especially worrisome as it is cutting the skull open.
"But the biggest problem is that the brain has a natural tendency to shut down neurons after there is a change in its structure.
"The surgery would cause trauma and change the brain's neurons' behaviours and positions.
"Furthermore, there are a lot of extreme risks such as scarring of the neural tissues or interfering with the sensory and motor pathways," Kumar warned.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 30 May 23
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 30 May 23
