Definition
Neuralink is a neurotechnology company developing ultra-high bandwidth brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) to connect humans and computers. Its goal is to treat neurological disorders in the short term and enable Human-Machine Symbiosis in the long term to mitigate the existential risk of artificial intelligence.
Why It Matters
Brain-machine interfaces represent the next frontier of human evolution. The stakes include the restoration of mobility to the paralyzed and the eventual ‘merger’ with AI to avoid obsolescence. To ignore this is to miss the most significant shift in human capability in history.
Core Concepts
- Brain-Machine Interface (BMI): A direct communication pathway between an enhanced or wired brain and an external device.
- The “Link”: A quarter-sized implant that replaces a small piece of the skull, containing thousands of electrodes on flexible threads.
- Surgical Robotics: High-speed robots that “stitch” threads into the brain avoiding blood vessels with micron-level precision.
- Wireless Transmission: Using Bluetooth/low-latency protocols to send brain signals to external devices without external wires.