- Elon Musk’s Neuralink announced on Thursday that it raised R2.9 billion in Series C financing.
- Neuralink said that this funding will help bring its first brain chip product to the market.
- Neuralink said the chip will allow people with quadriplegia to control digital devices with their minds.
- For more stories, please visit www.BusinessInsider.co.za.
Elon Musk’s Neuralink company said in a blog post on Thursday that the company has developed microchips designed to enter people’s brains and has raised 2.9 billion rand in funding.
Neuralink said the funds will be used for a specific application of its chip: to help people with quadriplegia control digital devices with their minds.
Neuralink said that Vy Capital led this round of financing, and Google’s GV (formerly Google Ventures) also participated.
Neuralink said that seven venture capital companies participated, and five Silicon Valley executives also contributed their personal wealth. Among these executives is Sam Altman, the founder of Y Combinator and CEO of OpenAI, which was co-founded by Altman and Musk.
Neural link is Develop a neural interface device called N1 Link, A microchip located in the human skull, the wires of which are scattered in the cerebral cortex. In theory, the device could allow the chip to monitor brain activity and send signals to the brain.
The chip has many Theoretical application, Including treating neurological diseases and enabling amputees to control robotic limbs.
Neuralink said in its blog post that the funds will help bring its chips to the market.
The company said: “The first sign of this device is to help quadriplegics regain digital freedom by allowing users to interact with their computers or mobile phones in a high-bandwidth and natural way.”
“This round of financing will be used to bring Neuralink’s first product to the market and accelerate the research and development of future products,” it added.
It is not clear when Neuralink will start human testing.Musk said in February that the company can Transition from primates to human trials at the end of this year. He also predicted 2019 year and 2020 year The company can start testing on humans before the end of 2020.
Neuralink is not the only company trying to bring neural interface technology to market.Earlier this week, its competitor Synchron, a biotech company with only 20 employees, announced that the Food and Drug Administration had approved Human test Own chip-defeat Neuralink.
For Musk, Neuralink is more than just a medical technology company. Musk has said in the past that he hopes to integrate human consciousness with artificial intelligence.Musk said in an interview Podcast interview In 2019, Neuralink “is aimed at solving the survival risks associated with digital superintelligence.”
“We can’t be smarter than digital supercomputers, so if you can’t beat them, join them,” Musk said.
say Inside story In 2019, neuroscientists said that Neuralink’s recent medical applications may be useful, but said that combining human consciousness with artificial intelligence is a “fantasy.”
“To reach the level of integration with AI, this is [Musk] Andrew Hires, assistant professor of neurobiology at the University of California, said in 2019.
