Neuralink, the company founded by Elon Musk, has been granted approval to conduct human trials for brain-chip implants.

The announcement of the FDA approval was made by Neuralink on social media, signaling a significant milestone for the company.

The approval paves the way for Neuralink to proceed with their first-in-human clinical studies, which aim to explore the potential of brain-chip implants in treating various conditions, including obesity, autism, depression, and schizophrenia.

The technology holds the possibility of enabling web browsing and telepathy.

Neuralink expressed gratitude to their team and the FDA in a statement released following the approval.

They highlighted that this is an important initial step towards utilizing their technology to benefit a wide range of individuals.

Although Elon Musk had previously mentioned the intention to commence human trials since 2019, Neuralink faced challenges in obtaining approvals.

It was reported that their application was initially rejected after they sought FDA approval in early 2022.

However, the company worked to address concerns raised by the FDA, such as the lithium battery, potential wire migration within the brain, and the safe extraction of the implant without damaging brain tissue.

The recent FDA approval comes at a time when there have been calls from U.S. lawmakers to investigate the panel overseeing animal testing at Neuralink, questioning if it has contributed to flawed and rushed experiments.

Neuralink has been the subject of previous federal investigations.

With this approval, Neuralink can now proceed with their pioneering work in the field of brain-chip implants, potentially opening up new possibilities for medical treatments and human-machine interfaces.

The outcome of these trials will be eagerly anticipated as they have the potential to revolutionize the way we understand and interact with the human brain.