Elon Musk's Neuralink is pioneering coin-sized brain chips to link human minds with machines. Now, Australian researchers from the University of Melbourne propose a less invasive approach: using veins to achieve the same brain-computer connection.
Founded in 2016, Neuralink seeks to enhance human capabilities through direct neural interfaces. One key method involves implanting electrodes into the brain, connected to a nearby device. Initial tests in August 2020 featured small electrodes, but the latest iteration is a coin-sized chip.
This invasive procedure now faces strong competition. A study published October 30, 2020, in the Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery, led by the University of Melbourne, introduces a vein-access method for brain-machine connectivity.
The approach deploys electrodes within a flexible stent tube, inserted via an artery to the brain. In trials with two paralyzed individuals, researchers guided the stent from a throat vein to a vessel near the motor cortex. The electrodes adhered to the vessel wall, capturing movement signals. An infrared transmitter in the chest relayed these for processing. After weeks of training, participants controlled tasks like sending SMS and online purchases using thoughts alone.
Lead neurologist Thomas Oxley notes that stent technology is well-established in cardiology and neurology; his team adapted it by integrating electrodes. Describing it as minimally invasive, the researchers aim for commercialization.
This reduced invasiveness could eclipse Neuralink. While not ideal for deep neurological research, the system shows great promise for aiding those with paralysis.
