Monkeys “learn” to type with their minds

Musk lets monkeys “learn” to type with their minds

get 1 Monkeys "learn" to type with their minds
Image source:Neuralink

At the latest launch of brain-computer interface company Neuralink, Musk presented the new results of “monkey mind typing”.

The research team implanted a chip in the monkey’s brain to capture signals of brain electrical activity.

Then they translate the signals into commands in a computer, enabling typing operations.

A monkey named Sake, through this way output “welcome to show and tell” and “can i please have snacks” two sentences.

Of course, Musk also clarified that the monkey does not know how to spell.

It just uses its own brain activity to move the cursor to specific keys to spell out the sentences needed by the computer program.

In 2021, Neuralink demonstrated the results of a game of Pong in which a monkey with a chip implanted in its brain learns to play ping pong.

When the monkey used its mind to skillfully manipulate the “paddle” on the screen to catch the “pong ball”, the tube in front of it would output juice for it to drink.

This time, the monkeys were rewarded with fruit when they cooperated with the human in a similar activity.

In fact, highly accurate ideographic typing has already been achieved in the human brain.

The research results were also featured on the cover of Nature last year.

Musk said that the monkey typing video just hopes to show how Neuralink’s implant will help paralyzed people use their phones.

He also revealed that the company has submitted an application to the FDA and expects to be able to begin trials on humans in six months.

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