* . *
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
Sunday, June 8, 2025
Earth-News
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    Ceramic Dalmatian Entertainment is WLAF’s Business of the Week – WLAF

    Spotlight on Success: Ceramic Dalmatian Entertainment Shines as This Week’s Featured Business!

    Brass Lion Entertainment unveils co-op action RPG Wu-Tang: Rise of the Deceiver – VentureBeat

    Unleash Your Inner Warrior: Discover the Co-Op Action RPG Wu-Tang: Rise of the Deceiver!

    Entertainment lineup released for 2025 Mississippi State Fair – WAPT

    Exciting Entertainment Lineup Unveiled for the 2025 Mississippi State Fair!

    After Denzel Washington Said He Would Be In Black Panther 3, Ryan Coogler Explained Why He’s ‘Fine’ With That Information Being Revealed So Early – Yahoo

    Ryan Coogler Shares Why He’s Cool with Denzel Washington’s Black Panther 3 Reveal!

    Traveling Tacos and Tequila Festival to stop at Florence Yall’s stadium this October – Cincinnati Enquirer

    Get Ready for a Flavor Fiesta: Traveling Tacos and Tequila Festival Hits Florence Y’all’s Stadium This October!

    9 things to do this weekend in Lake County plus a look ahead – Leesburg Daily Commercial

    Discover 9 Exciting Weekend Adventures in Lake County and What’s Coming Up!

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    Drag racer survives frightening airborne crash at World Wide Technology Raceway – FOX 2

    Drag racer survives frightening airborne crash at World Wide Technology Raceway – FOX 2

    Apple Watch and the future of wearable technology in healthcare – MSN

    Revolutionizing Healthcare: The Future of Wearable Technology with Apple Watch

    ECS Professor Pankaj K. Jha Receives NSF Grant to Develop Quantum Technology – Syracuse University News

    Unlocking the Future: ECS Professor Pankaj K. Jha Secures NSF Grant for Groundbreaking Quantum Technology Development

    Fire Tech Brief: 5 Fire Apparatus Technology Upgrades – firehouse.com

    Revving Up Safety: 5 Innovative Upgrades for Fire Apparatus Technology

    U.S. FDA Grants Platform Technology Designation to the Viral Vector Used in SRP-9003, Sarepta’s Investigational Gene Therapy for the Treatment of Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy Type 2E/R4 – Sarepta Therapeutics

    Breakthrough for Gene Therapy: FDA Designates Viral Vector in Sarepta’s SRP-9003 for Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy Treatment

    Waunakee Fifth-Graders Dive into the Future at Exciting Tech Day!

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    Ceramic Dalmatian Entertainment is WLAF’s Business of the Week – WLAF

    Spotlight on Success: Ceramic Dalmatian Entertainment Shines as This Week’s Featured Business!

    Brass Lion Entertainment unveils co-op action RPG Wu-Tang: Rise of the Deceiver – VentureBeat

    Unleash Your Inner Warrior: Discover the Co-Op Action RPG Wu-Tang: Rise of the Deceiver!

    Entertainment lineup released for 2025 Mississippi State Fair – WAPT

    Exciting Entertainment Lineup Unveiled for the 2025 Mississippi State Fair!

    After Denzel Washington Said He Would Be In Black Panther 3, Ryan Coogler Explained Why He’s ‘Fine’ With That Information Being Revealed So Early – Yahoo

    Ryan Coogler Shares Why He’s Cool with Denzel Washington’s Black Panther 3 Reveal!

    Traveling Tacos and Tequila Festival to stop at Florence Yall’s stadium this October – Cincinnati Enquirer

    Get Ready for a Flavor Fiesta: Traveling Tacos and Tequila Festival Hits Florence Y’all’s Stadium This October!

    9 things to do this weekend in Lake County plus a look ahead – Leesburg Daily Commercial

    Discover 9 Exciting Weekend Adventures in Lake County and What’s Coming Up!

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    Drag racer survives frightening airborne crash at World Wide Technology Raceway – FOX 2

    Drag racer survives frightening airborne crash at World Wide Technology Raceway – FOX 2

    Apple Watch and the future of wearable technology in healthcare – MSN

    Revolutionizing Healthcare: The Future of Wearable Technology with Apple Watch

    ECS Professor Pankaj K. Jha Receives NSF Grant to Develop Quantum Technology – Syracuse University News

    Unlocking the Future: ECS Professor Pankaj K. Jha Secures NSF Grant for Groundbreaking Quantum Technology Development

    Fire Tech Brief: 5 Fire Apparatus Technology Upgrades – firehouse.com

    Revving Up Safety: 5 Innovative Upgrades for Fire Apparatus Technology

    U.S. FDA Grants Platform Technology Designation to the Viral Vector Used in SRP-9003, Sarepta’s Investigational Gene Therapy for the Treatment of Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy Type 2E/R4 – Sarepta Therapeutics

    Breakthrough for Gene Therapy: FDA Designates Viral Vector in Sarepta’s SRP-9003 for Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy Treatment

    Waunakee Fifth-Graders Dive into the Future at Exciting Tech Day!

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
Earth-News
No Result
View All Result
Home Science

Why scientists are worried about Neuralink

February 20, 2024
in Science
Why scientists are worried about Neuralink
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

This article was originally featured on The Conversation.

Putting a computer inside someone’s brain used to feel like the edge of science fiction. Today, it’s a reality. Academic and commercial groups are testing “brain-computer interface” devices to enable people with disabilities to function more independently. Yet Elon Musk’s company, Neuralink, has put this technology front and center in debates about safety, ethics and neuroscience.

In January 2024, Musk announced that Neuralink implanted its first chip in a human subject’s brain. The Conversation reached out to two scholars at the University of Washington School of Medicine–Nancy Jecker, a bioethicst, and Andrew Ko, a neurosurgeon who implants brain chip devices–for their thoughts on the ethics of this new horizon in neuroscience.

How does a brain chip work?

Neuralink’s coin-size device, called N1, is designed to enable patients to carry out actions just by concentrating on them, without moving their bodies.

Subjects in the company’s PRIME study–short for Precise Robotically Implanted Brain-Computer Interface–undergo surgery to place the device in a part of the brain that controls movement. The chip records and processes the brain’s electrical activity, then transmits this data to an external device, such as a phone or computer.

The external device “decodes” the patient’s brain activity, learning to associate certain patterns with the patient’s goal: moving a computer cursor up a screen, for example. Over time, the software can recognize a pattern of neural firing that consistently occurs while the participant is imagining that task, and then execute the task for the person.

Neuralink’s current trial is focused on helping people with paralyzed limbs control computers or smartphones. Brain-computer interfaces, commonly called BCIs, can also be used to control devices such as wheelchairs.

A few companies are testing BCIs. What’s different about Neuralink?

Noninvasive devices positioned on the outside of a person’s head have been used in clinical trials for a long time, but they have not received approval from the Food and Drug Administration for commercial development.

There are other brain-computer devices, like Neuralink’s, that are fully implanted and wireless. However, the N1 implant combines more technologies in a single device: It can target individual neurons, record from thousands of sites in the brain and recharge its small battery wirelessly. These are important advances that could produce better outcomes.

Why is Neuralink drawing criticism?

Neuralink received FDA approval for human trials in May 2023. Musk announced the company’s first human trial on his social media platform, X–formerly Twitter–in January 2024.

Information about the implant, however, is scarce, aside from a brochure aimed at recruiting trial subjects. Neuralink did not register at ClinicalTrials.gov, as is customary, and required by some academic journals.

Some scientists are troubled by this lack of transparency. Sharing information about clinical trials is important because it helps other investigators learn about areas related to their research and can improve patient care. Academic journals can also be biased toward positive results, preventing researchers from learning from unsuccessful experiments.

Fellows at the Hastings Center, a bioethics think tank, have warned that Musk’s brand of “science by press release, while increasingly common, is not science.” They advise against relying on someone with a huge financial stake in a research outcome to function as the sole source of information.

When scientific research is funded by government agencies or philanthropic groups, its aim is to promote the public good. Neuralink, on the other hand, embodies a private equity model, which is becoming more common in science. Firms pooling funds from private investors to back science breakthroughs may strive to do good, but they also strive to maximize profits, which can conflict with patients’ best interests.

In 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture investigated animal cruelty at Neuralink, according to a Reuters report, after employees accused the company of rushing tests and botching procedures on test animals in a race for results. The agency’s inspection found no breaches, according to a letter from the USDA secretary to lawmakers, which Reuters reviewed. However, the secretary did note an “adverse surgical event” in 2019 that Neuralink had self-reported.

In a separate incident also reported by Reuters, the Department of Transportation fined Neuralink for violating rules about transporting hazardous materials, including a flammable liquid.

What other ethical issues does Neuralink’s trial raise?

When brain-computer interfaces are used to help patients who suffer from disabling conditions function more independently, such as by helping them communicate or move about, this can profoundly improve their quality of life. In particular, it helps people recover a sense of their own agency or autonomy – one of the key tenets of medical ethics.

However well-intentioned, medical interventions can produce unintended consequences. With BCIs, scientists and ethicists are particularly concerned about the potential for identity theft, password hacking and blackmail. Given how the devices access users’ thoughts, there is also the possibility that their autonomy could be manipulated by third parties.

The ethics of medicine requires physicians to help patients, while minimizing potential harm. In addition to errors and privacy risks, scientists worry about potential adverse effects of a completely implanted device like Neuralink, since device components are not easily replaced after implantation.

When considering any invasive medical intervention, patients, providers and developers seek a balance between risk and benefit. At current levels of safety and reliability, the benefit of a permanent implant would have to be large to justify the uncertain risks.

What’s next?

For now, Neuralink’s trials are focused on patients with paralysis. Musk has said his ultimate goal for BCIs, however, is to help humanity–including healthy people–“keep pace” with artificial intelligence.

This raises questions about another core tenet of medical ethics: justice. Some types of supercharged brain-computer synthesis could exacerbate social inequalities if only wealthy citizens have access to enhancements.

What is more immediately concerning, however, is the possibility that the device could be increasingly shown to be helpful for people with disabilities, but become unavailable due to loss of research funding. For patients whose access to a device is tied to a research study, the prospect of losing access after the study ends can be devastating. This raises thorny questions about whether it is ever ethical to provide early access to breakthrough medical interventions prior to their receiving full FDA approval.

Clear ethical and legal guidelines are needed to ensure the benefits that stem from scientific innovations like Neuralink’s brain chip are balanced against patient safety and societal good.

>>> Read full article>>>
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source : Popular Science – https://www.popsci.com/technology/neuralink-ethical-issues/

Tags: scienceScientistsworried
Previous Post

5 stretches for relieving ‘tech neck,’ according to physical therapists

Next Post

Fastest-growing black hole eats the equivalent of one sun a day

Opinion | RFK Jr.’s Deadly War on Science – Common Dreams

RFK Jr.’s Dangerous Assault on Science: A Call to Action

June 8, 2025
The Worst Bonne Maman Preserves Flavor Leaves A Lot To Be Desired – Yahoo

The Worst Bonne Maman Preserves Flavor Leaves A Lot To Be Desired – Yahoo

June 8, 2025
D.C. Hosts WorldPride Parade in the Shadow of Trump – The New York Times

Celebrating Love and Unity: D.C. Lights Up for WorldPride Parade Amidst Political Tensions

June 8, 2025
This New England state has the best economy in the country, according to WalletHub – Boston.com

Discover the New England State Boasting the Strongest Economy in the Nation!

June 8, 2025
Ceramic Dalmatian Entertainment is WLAF’s Business of the Week – WLAF

Spotlight on Success: Ceramic Dalmatian Entertainment Shines as This Week’s Featured Business!

June 8, 2025
Billy Joel jokes about aging, cremation after brain disorder diagnosis – Fox News

Billy Joel Shares Hilarious Takes on Aging and Life After a Health Scare

June 8, 2025
Supreme Court restores DOGE’s access to sensitive Social Security data and says it doesn’t have to turn over documents – CNN

Supreme Court Grants DOGE Access to Sensitive Social Security Data, Protects Confidential Documents!

June 8, 2025
Drag racer survives frightening airborne crash at World Wide Technology Raceway – FOX 2

Drag racer survives frightening airborne crash at World Wide Technology Raceway – FOX 2

June 8, 2025
NFL, NFLPA continue to hide ruling from collusion grievance – NBC Sports

Unveiling the Truth: NFL and NFLPA Keep Collusion Ruling Under Wraps

June 8, 2025
Groundbreaking study maps the movements of marine megafauna – EurekAlert!

Revolutionary Research Unveils the Migrations of Marine Megafauna

June 7, 2025

Categories

Archives

June 2025
MTWTFSS
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30 
« May    
Earth-News.info

The Earth News is an independent English-language daily published Website from all around the World News

Browse by Category

  • Business (20,132)
  • Ecology (675)
  • Economy (689)
  • Entertainment (21,595)
  • General (15,271)
  • Health (9,731)
  • Lifestyle (693)
  • News (22,149)
  • People (689)
  • Politics (697)
  • Science (15,908)
  • Sports (21,192)
  • Technology (15,675)
  • World (674)

Recent News

Opinion | RFK Jr.’s Deadly War on Science – Common Dreams

RFK Jr.’s Dangerous Assault on Science: A Call to Action

June 8, 2025
The Worst Bonne Maman Preserves Flavor Leaves A Lot To Be Desired – Yahoo

The Worst Bonne Maman Preserves Flavor Leaves A Lot To Be Desired – Yahoo

June 8, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

Go to mobile version