Imagine controlling a machine just by thinking

By Andrew K. Coakley

It all sounds like something from a Sci-Fi movie, but it’s as real as it gets.

The first computer chip implanted into a human brain took place over three weeks ago and the implications of what this means teethers on the border of fear, anticipation and the possibilities of the future.

On January 30, 2024, Elon Musk sent out a tweet on his social media site “X” noting that “the first human received an implant from Neuralink and is recovering well.” Musk went on to say that initial results show promising neuron spike detection.

In other words, it’s a wait and see situation.

Musk’s company, Neuralink, which was founded in 2016, has officially started human test subjects.  What is Musk’s goal? To create an advanced brain computer interface (BCI). What exactly does this mean? It means that implanting this computer chip in the human brain will allow people to control machines with their thoughts.

I know, it doesn’t sound real. For those of us who are old enough to remember when Star Trek first came on television, the technology used on the Starship Enterprise seemed to far away and was thought to be impossible. But here we are at the beginning of 2024 and the idea of implanting computer chips into the human brain stares us in the face as a stark reality.

This surpasses the technology of the computer, of iPads, watches and even rings that can read your heart rate, take blood pressure and give us information on our other vital organs. And now we’re here, where the possibilities of having a chip in the brain will allow people to control devices with just one thought.

In a follow-up post on “X” Musk said that the first Nauralink product is called Telepathy. Coincidence? I think not. He admitted that the chip, if successfully operated in the brain, will enable someone to control a cellphone or computer or any other device just by thinking.

I admit that when it comes to technology imposing itself on the human brain, it stirs up some apprehension and images of robots and cyborgs. Images from I-Robot flash through the mind and it makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up when it becomes evident that this thing is a reality.

And with that comes fear. We fear what this could mean for humankind. We fear how this can change the world and immediately, for the spiritual among us, Armageddon and the end of time immediately come to mind.

But before we get to that point, think of how this technology can be a positive game changer. It can be of great use to those who have lost use of their limbs or those with some form of paralysis.

How exactly will this new technology work? The computer chip, the size of a coin, along with electronic wires as thin as thread, will be inserted into the brain. The battery in the chip, according to Musk, will be charged wirelessly. Because of the complexity of the procedure, it will be carried out by a specialized robot. The wires that accompany the chip will monitor the individual’s brain activity and thoughts and pass them on to the chip, which will then send a signal to an app on your phone or computer.

Let’s be clear, this is nothing new. This is something that scientists have been working on for years. They have always been fascinated with the idea of having a human brain connected to a computer. They have accomplished the technology that allows people to control robotic limbs with their minds. But Nauralink’s chip goes further.

The difference with Musk’s computer chip is that the volume of brain signals it wants to capture is much greater. Musk wants an advanced brain computer interface. It will allow an individual to drive a smart car with just thoughts or play video games with your mind. The possibilities are endless.

And this is where the dark side comes in. Because it’s a computer, there is the possibility of outside interference and hacking, as is presently being done with computers today. Imagine if someone can hack this computer chip in your brain and read your thoughts or control your robotic limbs. Like AI, this technology can pose a threat to humankind if it falls into the wrong hands.

AI was allowed to hit the market without proper legislation. But now that certain aspects of AI have gone rogue, suddenly policy makers see the need to control the technology. Will laws be passed on computer brain chip technology before it becomes something open to the general public?

While Musk’s technology is new there is the belief that because of his powerful status in society, he could be granted the “go-ahead” unhindered. Which opens the door to so many interpretations.

But as it stands now, all eyes are on the test subject to see how the individual reacts to the computer chip implant. If it works as Musk is hoping, we will enter a new era of a world that brings together humans and computers and the operation of machines could happen with just a thought.