Elon Musk's Neuralink implants first chip into the human brain, riding a wave of success and controversy

Neuralink was granted permission to proceed with the surgical implantation of a chip into a human brain. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provided this consent in May. The forthcoming research is expected to span six years.

The primary device and 64 strands, each thinner than a strand of human hair, have been installed in the brains of the willing participants,

The function of these strands is to read, record, and wirelessly transmit brain signals, according to the creators. The chip will convey these intentions to an application, thereby enabling a phone or computer to be controlled by thoughts alone.

The project has been named Telepathy. The initial testers of the chip are individuals who can no longer control their hands or have lost this ability due to neurological disorders.

"Imagine, for instance, Stephen Hawking being able to communicate effortlessly. It’s a real revolution. That's the point!" – tweeted the wealthiest businessman in the world.

However, it's important to note that the device has ignited significant controversy. Former Neuralink employees allege that many animals suffered greatly during tests. Pigs that were used in experiments reportedly died because the chip was improperly inserted.

The allegations were scrutinized by American agencies including the Department of Agriculture. However, no allegations were substantiated.