Cyber Brain

Tiny brain Implant to use social media with your brain

Scientists developed a minuscule brain implant smaller than a human hair which allows people to control computers with their minds. Developed by Precision Neuroscience and works along similar principles to those of Elon Musk’s Neuralink company, though the Precision chip sits on the brain rather than in the tissue.

By cutting a thin slit in a human skull and sliding the chip in through it until it sits on a person’s brain it has made the process of implanting the implant less invasive. The main purpose of this invention is to allow people who suffer from disabilities or paralysis the opportunity to use computers to communicate.

It’s a way to access modern technology without a keyboard and mouse, and while it’s intended to help people who can’t physically use computers anyone could make use of it if they got one implanted.

The brain implant itself is called a Layer 7 Cortical Interface, so named because there are six cellular layers that make up a person’s cerebral cortex and the tech company reckons their implant will essentially function as another one.

It allows a person to control digital devices with neural signals, letting someone move a cursor across a screen or type without a keyboard.

First brain implant to treat depression to start second human trial

Scientists recently implanted electrodes into the skull of a patient in order to treat their depression, with the hope that their condition might be eased by short and small electric pulses into the brain, and now they’re awaiting the start of a second trial.

This technology was actually unveiled back in September, when doctors in St Louis shaved off some bits of the patient’s skull in order to install electrodes into it.

The surgery was performed by start-up Inner Cosmos, just one of several companies working on technology that can be implanted into the brains of patients.

Of course, the most high-profile of those companies is Neuralink, owned by Elon Musk.

That business has been the subject of some recent controversy, but also claims to have trained monkeys to play video games with their minds.

This trial was the first of its kind to use implants directly into the skull to treat depression, and could herald in a new age of science treating mental health issues with hardware rather than more traditional methods such as psychiatry and psychology.