Posted by Robert Workman on May 4, 2022

Elon Musk has been incredibly busy as of late. Not only does he run one of the premier electric car companies on the market, Tesla, but he also made a landmark multi-billion dollar deal to purchase the social media site Twitter. Needless to say, Elon has his hands full — but he still has enough room to create technical marvels, such as his brain chip.

 

No, it’s not something that a diabolical villain is using to control people’s minds. Instead, Neuralink — Musk’s company, the developer of the brain chip — is pushing the technology in positive ways.

Back when the company initially came together in 2016, Musk made it clear what its mission is. He hopes that Neuralink will help out those with the inability to move their muscles to perform particular functions. In other words, functionality that can help those with paralysis, or something else stopping their muscular functions.

Could the technology have flaws? Of course. But it also has a lot of potential for its future as well, provided its testing proves to be successful. Could Musk be on to something with his Neuralink project? Let’s take a closer look.

Not Mind Control…Not Really

When it comes to how Neuralink works, it’s not full mind control like you may have seen in the comics.

Instead, Musk suggests that his brain chip works more along the lines of mind enhancement. Using wireless charging, it helps the skull stay connected to muscles using neurological, electronic links.

That’s an interesting touch, and one that could play out strongly within its medical field. Obviously helping those with some form of paralysis would be key subjects for testing, along with those in a handicapped state.

For that matter, it could also help those that need to focus more on comprehensive actions. Granted, we’re not talking levels of the Force from Star Wars – you can’t summon something to your hand without grabbing it. But it’s still very cool.

This is just the beginning of what the technology can do as well. Musk made note in the past that, with the right amount of implemented sensors, someone could even learn to walk again.

That’s a ways off, as testing has just barely begun on human subjects. We’re talking years away. Regardless, the brain chip might just do wonders for the scientific field.

It’s too soon to tell what could come of it. However, if implemented correctly, Musk’s brain chip could really be a medical revolution. Who knows, it might even enable people to post to Twitter merely by thought…though that’s likely not a good idea for some.

What Does the Future Hold?

The real question when it comes to the future of Neuralink — and the brain chip — is how advanced its technology could be.

We mentioned being able to walk with the right sensors in place, but could other motor functions follow? Could it practically help an injured football player to train themselves to get back on the field?

Musk has often seen the technology utilized with the brain chip on the same level as smart watches. In fact, he recently invited a few makers to come and work with him at Neuralink, since their expertise could boost its development in significant ways. Though Musk noted that this is hardly the easiest task, if done the right way, it could literally work wonders.

The technology does lean more towards a connection between functions that could make things simpler overall. The real question, however, is how long it would last.

All technology is prone to breaking, either by losing power, having a part go “bad” on someone, or simply failing with a connection. For example, is Bluetooth required? As a result, a patient could be left high and dry.

That said, we’re pretty sure Musk is aware that such things could happen, and will likely include it in his brain chip testing. This seems like one technology that he’s not going to rush to the market. He wants it to launch when it’s just right.

Supervillains Need Not Apply

Once again, based on the information Musk has provided with his brain chip, it’s not meant for helping someone take over the world. However, its uses are almost infinite.

Whether it’s helping with rehabilitation or perhaps even helping larger people lose weight, there’s a lot that can be done with it.

Granted, it’s going to be some time before we see the final result. Even though Neuralink has been around for years, it is still in its infancy. But it has the financing to back it up — we are talking Musk here — along with inquisitive minds working on it. This little brain chip can certainly work in all the best ways, provided it tests and launches just right.

Where it’ll go from here is anyone’s guess, but forward seems to be the given direction. And, hopefully, we’ll see a laundry list of just how Neuralink can push advancement in the medical field. That’s food for thought — even without the need for a brain chip.