In an interview with TED, Elon Musk said his brain-computer interface startup Neuralink will address brain and spine injuries within a decade, and Musk noted that the startup's technology could even address health issues like morbid obesity. U.S. scientists later said the idea seemed far-fetched and the science had yet to be proven, but that using brain implants to treat morbid obesity was actually a reasonable idea. Considering that Neuralink's technology is still evolving and human clinical trials have not yet begun, it seems impossible, but the concept suddenly becomes less far-fetched when considering Elon Musk's other plans, such as having starships land on the moon and Mars, Martian colonization, and refueling ships.
Another American scientist said: "The concept of Neuralink is not impossible compared to other claims about neurotechnology, and I don't think it's more incredible than other claims about the potential of neurotechnology." He later added: "Neuralink's brain implants are actually less invasive than other methods of treating morbid obesity." Today, some procedures designed to address morbid obesity involve changing the shape and function of a patient's digestive tract. This type of surgery is often costly and recovery is often painful. ”
Neuralink's goal is to design and develop a fully integrated brain-computer interface BCI system that enables computers or other digital devices to communicate directly with the brain. Micron-sized threads in nerve implants are inserted into brain regions, allowing the implants to read and potentially stimulate brain activity. While Elon Musk didn't discuss in detail how Neuralink's technology addresses pathological obesity, a professor of metabolism and medicine at a U.S. university points out that a specific area of the brain, the hypothalamus, is typically the area that promotes increased appetite. If Neuralink can target specific areas of the brain, then solving problems such as pathological obesity is certainly feasible. "We and others have shown that in some people with severe obesity, it is the function of a specific brain region, the hypothalamus, that really drives increased appetite. If you can find a way to target specific areas, or even specific neurons that drive appetite, then in theory, a drug or technique could improve a patient's life. ”
In an interview with TED, Musk said the emails Neuralink received from people were heartbreaking because many of them revealed a lot of bad stories that people encountered in their youth. Musk said: "The emails we had at Neuralink were heartbreaking, and I mean, they were going to send us very tragic things, you know, it's something we can work on. ”
