Neuralink begins clinical trial recruitment with Health Canada approval

CANADA— Neuralink, the brain-computer interface (BCI) startup founded by Elon Musk, has received approval from Health Canada to begin recruiting participants for its first clinical trial in Canada.

While Health Canada has not issued an official statement on the approval, the news marks a significant step for the company in expanding its groundbreaking work.

The upcoming trial is designed to evaluate the safety and early functionality of a brain implant that could help individuals with quadriplegia—paralysis affecting all four limbs—control external digital devices through their thoughts.

This device, which interfaces directly with the brain, aims to offer individuals a new level of independence by allowing them to interact with technology in ways that were previously unimaginable.

Following the announcement, the University Health Network hospital in Canada confirmed that its Toronto facility has been selected to perform the complex neurosurgical procedures required for the trial.

In the United States, Neuralink has already made progress with its clinical trials and has successfully implanted the device in two patients.

The first, Noland Arbaugh, received his implant in January. Since then, he has been able to use the device to play video games, browse the internet, and even engage on social media—showcasing the technology’s promise in enabling users to interact with the digital world in a way that was once thought impossible for people with severe physical disabilities.

The second patient, who underwent the procedure in August and prefers to remain anonymous, has used the device to learn 3D design and play video games.

Neuralink founder Elon Musk recently shared that the implant’s 400 electrodes are functioning well in this patient, a positive sign for the future of this technology.

Neuralink plans to expand its trials to eight additional participants by the end of the year, further testing the device’s capabilities and potential.

Since its founding in 2016, Neuralink has been working toward advancing brain-computer interface technology with the goal of improving the lives of individuals with severe disabilities.

In addition to enhancing movement and communication, the company is also exploring ways to restore vision, with its implant having earned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s “breakthrough device” designation earlier this year. 

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