Worthy of a science fiction experiment, will the project end up restoring mobility to paralyzed people? Elon Musk's start-up, Neuralink, has implanted a smart chip in the brain of a guinea pig pig to make a version for humans. Gertrude, the pig in question, has had a chip in her head for two months, 23 mm in diameter and 8 mm thick.
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Skeptical scientists
Connected to a computer by Bluetooth, the small implant sends the pig's neurological signals to the machine. So when Gertrude walks on a treadmill, or puts her snout in her feeder, the computer can predict at any time where each member of the pig is. Based on these results, Elon Musk assures that he could transpose the experience to humans to restore mobility to paraplegic people. In the event of a spinal cord injury, the idea would be to implant a second chip at the site of the injury. And thanks to the interface with the computer, we could then bypass damaged transmission circuits, and theoretically make paralytics walk again.
But this miraculous cure leaves scientists very skeptical. No timetable has been announced for human trials, and the operation is seen by some as a stunt. According to his detractors, the whimsical billionaire would seek advertising to recruit 10,000 people within Neuralink.