Neuralink wants its brain chip to control a robot arm next

There are now at least two patients who have had Neuralink's brain chip implanted in their head. While there have been some bumps in the road, it appears that things are going well enough for Elon Musk's neurotechnology company to look ahead at what's next.

So, what's Neuralink looking at testing out now?

Neuralink aims to embed its brain chip into robotic limbs to achieve what Musk refers to as the “Luke Skywalker solution.”

Controlling a robotic arm with Neuralink?

Neuralink is planning trials to determine if its brain chip implant can control an “investigational assistive robotic arm.”

"This is an important first step towards restoring not only digital freedom, but also physical freedom," Neuralink said in a statement.

Neuralink is referring to these tests as the CONVOY study.

Musk has previously discussed this possibility before. One of the goals of Neuralink has been to help "restore full body movement" for individuals with spinal cord injuries, quadriplegia, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). 

"When a Neuralink is combined with Optimus robot limbs, the Luke Skywalker solution can become real," Musk said in a post on X in Sept. 2023. He included a link to a scene showcasing Luke Skywalker's robotic prosthetic hand from the Star Wars trilogy.

Neuralink has previously faced scrutiny over the deaths of at least 12 monkeys used in trials. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine alleges that Musk misled investors by claiming Neuralink was not responsible for any monkey deaths.