US federal authorities are targeting Neuralinkone of the eccentric magnate’s companies Elon Muskwho deals neurotechnology. In particular, the task of competent officials is to study the program animal testing which follows his efforts to develop a semiconductor/chip for therapeutic purposes, with the ultimate goal of being implanted in the brains of people with disabilities.

Currently, judging by the workers’ protests, animal testing is carried out in a rush, causing unnecessary pain and death – authorities want to establish whether this process violates animal welfare rules. This is exclusively reported by the relevant news agency Reuters, citing well-informed sources.

Neuralink was founded in 2016 by Elon Musk and a team of engineers. It creates an interface that can be implanted in the brain and is said to eventually help disabled patients begin to move their limbs and get around, as well as communicate again, as well as restore lost vision.

According to Musk, Neuralink will allow a person suffering from paralysis to use a smartphone with the power of thought.

This interface is based on a Neuralink device with a chip that processes and transmits neural signals that can be transmitted to devices such as a computer or smartphone. The company itself now hopes that a person will be able to control the mouse, keyboard, or other computer functions, such as text messages, through their thoughts. “The first product that Neuralink will create will allow a person with paralysis to use a smartphone with the power of thought faster than someone who uses their thumb,” Elon Musk said in April last year.

Neuralink also believes that the device in question, which will be implanted in the brain, will eventually be able to restore nerve activity within the body, allowing people with spinal cord injuries to move their limbs. The San Francisco and Austin, Texas-based company also has another ambitious goal as it aims to treat degenerative neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease as well as dementia.

Obviously, the question arises whether progress has been made. Neuralink has several examples of successfully testing aspects of its technology on animals, including a 2021 video of a monkey playing a simple video game after being implanted with a brain chip. In an online demo last week, the company showed improvements to the chip’s speed and capabilities.

However, it should be noted that Neuralink has yet to receive regulatory approval in the United States to conduct human trials, unlike rival Synchron, which has less ambitious goals. Neuralink was unable to meet the deadline set by Elon Musk to begin human trials this year and filed a request with the Food and Drug Administration. Finally, the billionaire entrepreneur said last week that he thought Neuralink could start clinical trials in six months.