Elon Musk's brain-computer interface implant startup Neuralink announced on X that it received approval to launch a new feasibility study, CONVOY, which will test the use of its wireless brain-computer interface (BCI), or N1 implant, to control an investigational assistive robotic arm.

"This is an important first step towards restoring not only digital freedom, but also physical freedom. More info to come, but the CONVOY Study will enable cross-enrolling participants from the ongoing PRIME Study," Neuralink said in a post.  

Neuralink's PRIME study (short for Precise Robotically Implanted Brain-Computer Interface) involves the placement of a small, cosmetically invisible implant in the area of a person's brain that plans movements. The N1 implant is designed to interpret one's neural activity to assist them in operating a computer or smartphone by simply intending to move.

The ongoing medical device clinical trial is designed to provide individuals with quadriplegia the ability to use digital devices with their thoughts, and the company is continuing to seek individuals to participate in the study. 

Neurolink's BCI device was first implanted into 29-year-old quadriplegic Noland Arbaugh in February, resulting in Arbaugh having the ability to play chess and video games hands-free.  

THE LARGER TREND

In July, Elon Musk joined Neuralink to give a live update on patients implanted with the Telepathy device. 

"Let's say somebody has lost their arms or legs, we could actually attach an Optimus arm or Optimus legs to a Neuralink implant so that the motor commands from your brain that would go to our biological arms now go to your robot arms or robot legs, and you'd basically have cybernetic superpowers," Musk said. 

Optimus, also known as the Tesla Bot, is a general-purpose robotic humanoid that was initially announced by Musk in 2021, with a prototype shown in 2022. Musk showcased the robot's progress at Tesla's "We, Robot" event at Warner Bros. Studio last month in Los Angeles.

Last week, Neuralink announced it received approval from Health Canada to perform a clinical trial on its N1 brain implant and R1 robot, which is used to place the implant into the brain.

The "Canadian Precise Robotically Implanted Brain-Computer Interface" (CAN-PRIME) study will be performed by the University Health Network (UHN) hospital at its Toronto Western Hospital. 

Last month, the company received FDA breakthrough device designation for Blindsight, an implant that aims to restore vision in individuals who are blind. 

Blindsight implants a microelectrode array into the visual cortex of a person's brain. The array then activates neurons, which then provide the individual with a visual image.