Elon Musk stated earlier this year that his company, Neuralink, is working on a brain–computer interface called Neural Lace.

According to Musk's claims, his company's brain-computer interface "will enable anyone who wants to have superhuman cognition, to have it".

However, many experts within the field are skeptical of his claims.



In early September, in a podcast on The Joe Rogan Experience, Musk said that his company Neuralink would have something to announce in a few months that was "better than anyone thinks is possible".

Musk didn't stop at this vague statement and went onto explain that merging with AI would be best for us all, saying: "If you can’t beat it, join it". Now we know that Musk essentially wants to build a brain-computer interface with Neuralink.

According to Becker's Hospital Review, Musk wants to use his company Neuralink to add a tertiary layer to our brains (in addition to the two layers of the cerebral cortex and the limbic system) that "will enable anyone who wants to have superhuman cognition to have it".

Smartphones and smartwatches are already an extension of the self, to the point where some might say we're already cyborg enough. The main problem with smart gadgets is that, for some, the data connection between our devices and our brains is far too slow. Neuralink's product, which Musk calls "Neural Lace", is designed to solve this problem.

But just how realistic is the idea of this kind of brain-computer interface?

Human beings are already controlling prostheses using brain-computer interfaces

For most, this technology might sound like pure science fiction, but scientists have already been experimenting with brain computer interfaces (BCIs) for decades. For example, in neurofeedback users can wear electrode caps and influence software by using their brainwaves. However the control is so imprecise that the technology is mainly used for therapeutic purposes.

In clinical studies with patients who are blind or have severe forms of paralysis, more invasive (and in turn more accurate) BCIs are used. Electrodes are implanted on the brain surface, or needles are implanted in the brain to pick up and process nerve signals. As a result, patients can regain some of their vision or can control computer pointers and robot arms.

In 2005, US researchers from neurotechnology company Cyberkinetics succeeded in equipping a paraplegic patient with a robot hand. During a nine-month experiment, the patient steered his hand using an invasive BCI. Matt Nagle, then 25, was also able to operate a computer cursor and a light switch, as well as a television set.

This patient is also controlling a robotic arm using his thoughts. Case Western Reserve University

"In terms of medical application, data from brain-computer interfaces is being researched and developed in many areas," explained Thomas Stieglitz from the Department of Biomedical Microtechnology at the University of Freiburg in an interview with Business Insider.

"Among other things, this applies to epilepsy and its treatment by brain stimulation, as well as therapy for Parkinson's disease and depression," continued Stieglitz. "The use of BCIs is also being investigated for diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and pain stimulation."

What about using BCIs for the sort of plans Musk has in mind for Neuralink?

Philipp Heiler, physician and founder of Neurofeedback Neuroboost, also expressed doubts to Business Insider: "In the field of brain-machine interfaces, many companies are making a lot of big claims but I don't think BCIs will become accessible to healthy people that quickly."

The problem is not with the data connection, but with the measurement technology: non-invasive BCIs such as electrode caps are too inaccurate, while invasive BCIs can be risky for a number of reasons.

In this video from the Brown Institute for Brain Science you can see how a paraplegic patient controls a robot arm with her thoughts.

The hype around everyday use of BCIs "isn't justified"

"When doctors open a patient's skulls to integrate a BCI, there are numerous risks, including the risk of brain damage, inflammation, and scarring. You have to ask yourself what the advantage is over other interfaces like touchscreens or language assistants like Alexa," said Heiler.

"If an Alexa user steps out the front door, they've probably already asked the assistant to unlock the car or to carry out some other such task, so electrodes aren't really needed in the brain for this kind of thing."

Read also: Scientists have just found a way to implant memories from one animal to another

Martin Spüler, head of Neural Interfaces and Brain Signal Decoding at the the University of Tübingen, also thinks the hype around BCIs for healthy people isn't justified.

"With the fastest non-invasive BCI systems currently available, it's possible to type about 30 letters per minute — but only under laboratory conditions and with hardware costing over $23,000," said Spüler.

These systems are too failure-prone, complicated and too large for everyday use. Above all, users need their full concentration.

"Current technology doesn't allow, for example, for writing out texts using brainwaves on the way to work on the bus. With invasive BCIs, that's a different story — but the risks of operating risk are simply too high," explained Spüler.

Stieglitz says that how cognitive functions manifest as brain signals is still unclear. shutterstock/MriMan

Neuralink's goals are "unrealistic"

"I believe Neuralink's long-term goals are unrealistic, or at least it's dubious to phrase them in such a way," said Stieglitz. "Cognitive functions and their representation as brain signals are, in my mind, still unclear and it's completely unclear how they look as nerve signal patterns, where exactly they're taking place in the brain, and whether two people even have the same patterns."

"Unless all this is clear, it's simply not possible to upload knowledge somewhere else then upload it back into the brain. While it might make for great science fiction, in reality it's just hokum," said Stieglitz.

Whether or not the Tesla founder's cyborg visions will really come to fruition in the foreseeable future seems very questionable, but one thing Musk can be sure of with his bold claims is that he'll catch the attention of new investors.