Neuralink
What They Do
Neuralink is a neurotechnology company founded by Elon Musk that is developing brain-machine interfaces (BMIs), in the form of a neural implant device called a Link. Based on technology developed at UC Berkeley and UCSF, the Neuralink system comprises: a Link device implanted underneath the skull with electrode-laden threads inserted into the brain; a neurosurgical robot that performs implantation operations; and a Neuralink Application on a user's mobile device or computer to which the Link's advanced electronics (ASIC) that process information from the neurons is sent.
Neuralink's BMI can record and decode neural activity at sensitivities down to the individual neuron. Specifically, the array of electrodes that line each neural thread detect the electrical activity of each neuron and send that information back to the Link. The electrodes are precisely placed based on the desired brain functions to access any neurological domain such as movement or vision.
In essence, the Link can communicate directly with the brain and will enable the user to control a computer or mobile device with his or her mind alone.
Example clinical applications include enabling a person with paralysis to control a computer mouse or keyboard and enabling information to be written back into the brain to restore the sense of touch.
Why We Invested
We are broadly interested in the field of bioelectronic medicine, and view Neuralink as the leading catalyst for the broader field. The company’s rapid iterative development process is geared at translating products to human clinical proof of concept at a record speed, and we expect that Neuralink will deliver some of the earliest examples of functional neural prostheses for patients with severe motor and speech deficits.