Neuralink, Elon Musk’s brain-computer interface (BCI) startup, has received approval from Health Canada to begin recruiting for the country’s first clinical trial.
The approval marks a significant milestone in Neuralink’s efforts to develop technology that will allow individuals with paralysis to control external devices using only their thoughts.
According to a statement issued by Neuralink on Nov. 20, the Canadian trial will focus on evaluating the safety and initial functionality of its implant for people with quadriplegia — the paralysis of all four limbs. The aim of the implant is to restore autonomy by allowing users to control digital devices with just a thought.
Canada’s University Health Network Hospital has announced that its Toronto facility has been selected to perform the complex neurosurgical procedures required for the implant.
The Canadian study mirrors Neuralink’s efforts in the US, where the company has already implanted the device in two patients as part of its Precise Robotically Implanted Brain-Computer Interface Study. It aims to assess the safety and functionality of Neuralink’s BCI technology in individuals with severe motor disabilities.
Neuralink began its first human clinical trial in January 2024 by implanting a BCI device in a patient named Noland Arbaugh. Musk wrote on X (formerly Twitter) at the time: “First person received @Neuralink implant yesterday and recovering well. Initial results show promise for neural spike detection.”
The US Food and Drug Administration has granted approval to begin human trials in May 2023.
By August 2024, the company announced that its second participant, referred to as “Alex”, had received his Neuralink implant. According to the official blog, Alex is improving his ability to play video games and has started learning how to use computer-aided design software to work on 3D objects.
“When I take an idea, put it in as a design, and actually have a physical item as a finished product, it feels like I’m building things again,” Alex said.
Since beginning animal trials in 2017, Neuralink has conducted experiments on monkeys, pigs, sheep, rats and mice. Initial studies at the University of California, Davis focused on the development and refinement of BCI technology.
By 2019, Neuralink had progressed to implanting the device in rats, showing a system capable of reading information through 1,500 electrodes. In 2020, the company showcased a pig named Gertrude with the implanted device, highlighting significant progress in its research.
However, Neuralink’s journey has not been without controversy. Reports indicate that approximately 1,500 animals, including more than 280 sheep, pigs and monkeys, have died following the experiments since 2018.
This figure includes all animals involved in testing, not just animals with an implanted device. The total number of animals that received implants remains unspecified.
Musk expressed his willingness to personally receive the Neuralink implant. In December 2022, he stated that he would be “comfortable” implanting one of the chips into the brains of his own children.
