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Neuralink- An Elon Musk Start-up Achieve symbiosis with Artificial

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Conference Paper · October 2019

DOI: 10.1109/ICCCIS48478.2019.8974470

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2019 International Conference on Computing, Communication, and Intelligent Systems (ICCCIS)

Neuralink- An Elon Musk Start-up

Achieve symbiosis with Artificial Intelligence

Abhinav Kulshreshth Dr. Abhineet Anand

Student, B. Tech CSE Department of Computer Science
Galgotias University Chitkara University
Greater Noida, India Mohali, India
[email protected] [email protected]

Anupam Lakhanpal About Neuralink

Department of Computer Science A start-up was registered by Elon Musk in 2016 named
Galgotias University Neuralink which remained under the sheets till 2017
Greater Noida, India when it was revealed to the world. Neuralink as the
[email protected] name suggests creates a link between the Neurons
Abstract—As the days are passing by, we come across inside our brain and a machine (smartphones or
new and latest inventions which use Artificial computers). On 16th July 2019, a white paper was
Intelligence to ease our usage of the devices. This sudden
surge in the usage of AI has increased insecurity among published under the name, “ELON MUSK AND
humans that it can leave us of no use. This increased
NEURALINK” which told about what the company
insecurity led people to think what can be done to make
our future secure among the robots and artificial was up to and how will it be possible to create a
intelligence. And out came the solution, mix both the
intelligences and achieve a symbiosis between human
and AI. To achieve this, we can use the “Neural Lace” “We are already a cyborg. We are
technology as well as Brain-Machine Interface (BMI).
The paper will discuss the use of Brain-Machine so well connected with our phones
Interface, Artificial Intelligence and Neural Network to and computers that losing a phone
achieve symbiosis with AI along with the company that
is making all this possible, Neuralink, which is an Elon feels like losing a limb.”-ELON
Musk startup which has a vision to cure the insecurity MUSK
among us.

Keywords—Artificial Intelligence, Brain-Machine

Interface, Neural Network, Neuralink, Neural Lace, general symbiosis between man and a machine or the
BrainGate artificial intelligence (AI).

Elon Musk in the launch event of the Neuralink told

Introduction that the company aims to “understand and treat
In 1943, a neurologist Warren McCulloch and a brainly disorders” along with “preserving and
young mathematician Walter Pitts wrote a paper on enhancing our brain” and “create a well aligned
how neurons might work; they modelled a simple
neural network with electrical circuits. In 1957, John
von Neumann suggested simple neuron functions by
using telegraph relays and vacuum tubes. Recently,
the studies related to neural networks have taken a
sudden leap and it is being used to heal a person’s
brainly disorders. Neuralink has gone out of the
bounds of current studies in neural network and has
started to not just cure the patients but also connect
Figure 1: The Neuralink Logo |Source: Wikipedia
them to digital devices and help them use these
devices without the need of using any of their body future”. Elon Musk in an interview also talked about
parts. how the company will try to recreate “the Neural
Lace”, a fictional way/method of transferring brain’s
content to a machine and vice-versa.

1
2019 International Conference on Computing, Communication, and Intelligent Systems (ICCCIS)

Brain-Machine Interface (BMI) between the neurons. This is how neurons work and
Brain-Machine Interface (BMI) or Brain to Machine transfer information.
Interface (B2M) is an interface through which we can
How Neuralink will use neurons?
connect ourselves to any machine which is capable of
Neuralink will setup electrodes which will read those
reading the inputs from our brain. For this, we need to
impulses, amplify them and send them to a machine
have a high bandwidth rate, but we have a very low
which will then work accordingly. These electrodes
bandwidth as we use only two of our thumbs to input
support writing also which can help in treatment of
into the machine or the smartphone. Even by using
brainly disorders.
images, videos and audios we cannot get the same
bandwidth as we can get by transferring directly from
the brain to the machine. Neural Lace
Neural Lace is a science-fictional concept introduced
Brain-Machine Interfaces hold the power to help
by Scottish author Iain M. Banks in his series of novels
people with a wide range of clinical disorders such as
“The Culture”1. Neural Lace is also a Brain-Machine
dis-functional sensory and motor functions. BMI
Interface (BMI), which can help humans compete with
hasn’t been widely popular with clinical disorders as
Artificial Intelligence. This Neural Lace technology is
they had a modest number of channels to transfer
currently being funded by Elon Musk as an effort to
signals but Neuralink has taken its first step into
accomplish the same vision which is to make human
creating a scalable high-bandwidth channel to transfer
brain able to compete with the AI in the future. An idea
the signals using arrays of threads and electrodes. [1]
of how Neural Lace works can be taken from the
movie Matrix in which one of its character (Neo) can
Natural Neural Network be seen using a computer to acquire new information
How our brain works is quite interesting. Neurons are
and learn new skills. [2]
like the transport system for our thoughts and actions.
Everything we feel, see, sense, touch, taste and think Neural Lace is an ultra-thin mesh which will be
goes through Neurons for further processing. There is implanted inside the skull and will form a body of
an estimate of 100 billion neurons in a human brain electrodes which will be able to monitor the function
which govern the working of the brain. of human brain. The ultra-thin mesh is inserted using
a tiny needle which contains rolled up mesh. After the
mesh is implanted inside the brain, it integrates itself
with the human brain and “creates a perfect symbiosis
between human and machine”. [3]

A similar concept is being used by Neuralink to

achieve symbiosis with AI, more of which will be
explained later.

Invasive and Non-invasive

Figure 2: Neuron and Synapses
methods
Neurons consists of dendrites, cell body (known as Our blood vessels are jelly-like substance which if
Soma) which contains the nucleus and axon. Axon of tampered with can cause a brain disorder which in turn
one neuron is connected with Dendrite of another will cause Glial Scar to form which is the body’s way
neuron through Synapsis which contains of repairing the tissues in our brain. Invasive methods
Neurotransmitters. The neurotransmitters are damage the tissues which start the formation of Glial
triggered by electrostatic impulse known as the Action Scar2 which can interfere with the transmission of
Potential. When the right kind of impulse is sent impulses to the machine. While the non-invasive
through the synapses, a chain reaction is initiated methods have the least amount of damage to the brain

1 environment, axon regeneration fails, and remyelination may also

The Culture is a futuristic interstellar utopian, post-scarcity space
society of humanoids, aliens, and very advanced artificial be unsuccessful. The glial reaction to injury recruits’ microglia,
intelligence living in socialist habitats spread across the Milky Way oligodendrocyte precursors, meningeal cells, astrocytes and stem
galaxy. [3] cells.
2
Damage to the central nervous system (CNS) results in a glial
reaction, leading eventually to the formation of a glial scar. In this

2
2019 International Conference on Computing, Communication, and Intelligent Systems (ICCCIS)

tissues which in turn will not influence the Robot

transmission of the signals. [4] The “Robot” is designed with a sole purpose of
inserting the threads in least invasive manner. The
How will it work? Robot consists of seven parts-
a) Loaded needle pincher cartridge.
Neuralink will work in five major steps- b) Low-force contact brain position sensor.
c) Light modules with multiple independent
• Creation of threads wavelengths.
• Stitching of threads into the tissues d) Needle motor.
• Reading the signals and cleaning them e) One of four cameras focused on the needle
• Transmission of signals to amplifier during insertion.
• Amplification of signals and f) Camera with wide angle view of surgical
transmission to the machine field.
g) Stereoscopic3 cameras.
As of now the amplification and transmission of
the signals happen via a USB-C port which is
installed on a chip which is fitted into the brain of
the subject (patient) along with a sensory device.

Threads
“Threads” are the ultra-thin, flexible polymer which
will contain the electrodes and will transfer the
information and signals to the transmitter. These
threads (4-6 µm) are thinner than a human hair (17
µm) and have a length of 20 µm. An array will contain
96 threads which will have 32 independent electrodes Figure 4: All the parts of the automatic Insertion Robot
which means that an array of threads contains 3,072 |Source: Neuralink
electrodes which makes transfer of high-volume of
Neuralink has developed a robotic insertion approach
data possible with just one array. A human brain also for inserting flexible probes (or threads), allowing fast
shifts its shape which can cause damage to these and reliable insertion of large numbers of threads
threads, but the flexible nature of these threads makes targeted to avoid vasculature and record from
them shift accordingly. dispersed brain regions. [1]
For the insertion, the Robot has a “needle pincher”
assembly which inserts the thread, stitches it and
releases it rapidly.

Figure 3: Threads are smaller than a finger |Source:

Neuralink

But with all the advantages, there lies a disadvantage

Figure 5: The size of needle and the pincher compared to a
i.e. these threads are very delicate and can break if not
penny |Source: Neuralink
stitched carefully. Just for that purpose, Neuralink has
created a Robot which can automatically insert the To guide the needle, the Robot has four camera which
threads into the brain causing very less amount of are focused on the needle, the field of insertion, and
damage to the tissues. stereoscopy.

3
A stereoscope is a device for viewing a stereoscopic pair
of separate images, depicting left-eye and right-eye views of
the same scene, as a single three-dimensional image.

3
2019 International Conference on Computing, Communication, and Intelligent Systems (ICCCIS)

Electronics a wireless method for the same. This wireless

The electronics are built around Neuralink’s custom goal will be achieved by something
application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), which Neuralink calls as “N1 sensors”. “Four of
consists of 256 individually programmable amplifiers these N1 sensors will be placed inside our
(analog pixels), on-chip analog-to-digital converters skull (three in motor areas and one in
(ADCs), and peripheral control circuitry for somatosensory area). The sensors will
connect wirelessly to an external device
serializing the digitized outputs. [1]
mounted behind our ear which can connect to
iPhones through an app.”, said Max Hodak,
President of Neuralink, at the Introductory
Presentation for Neuralink.
• Neuralink also plans to use laser technology
(like the laser eye surgery) to get through the
skull as opposed to drilling holes in it which
they are performing now. It will also help in
decreasing the damage to the tissues.

Present and Future

Figure 6:Sensor device: A- ASIC, B-Threads, C- Titanium At present the company is using this technology to
enclosure (without lid), D- USB-C port for power and data serve two purposes which are-
transmission |Source: Neuralink
• As a research project for rodents and Lab
Rats
“The Neuralink ASIC forms the core of a modular • As a prototype project for human clinical
recording platform that allows for easy replacement of
implants
constitutive parts for research and development
purposes. In the systems discussed here, several As of now the device is being used on Lab Rats to
ASICs are integrated into a standard printed circuit analyse the results and make refinements in the device
board (PCB) using flip-chip integration. Each system to read the correct input. As opposed to the previous
consists of a field-programmable gate array (FPGA);
projects, Neuralink uses ultra-thin and flexible threads
real-time temperature, accelerometer, and
which are much more capable for a long-life and a
magnetometer sensors; and a single USB-C connector
for full-bandwidth data transfer. The systems are greater volume of data transferring. Even the
packaged in titanium cases which are coated with composition of the material used is biocompatible so
parylene-c, which serves as a moisture barrier to is non-harmful for the brain. [1]
prevent fluid ingress and prolong functional lifetime.”
[1] Elon Musk also stated that the Neuralink will be
ready for the first patient by the end of next year
i.e. 2020. [5]
Projects in working at Neuralink
The vision of the company is to achieve symbiosis
with AI. Elon Musk has stated his fear of an eventual
decline in importance of a human when AI will itself
become capable of simulating all of our brainly
functions. To not let that happen, humans must merge
with artificial intelligence in order to become a more
capable being. And according to Elon Musk, to save
humanity’s future, we must see the importance of the
Brain Machine Interfaces (BMI).

Ethical or not
Figure 7: N1 sensors implanted inside the skull along with Humans have always been trying to move forward
the external device |Source: Neuralink without thinking of the consequences. Over the course
of time, it has become very evident that meddling in a
• Neuralink uses a USB-C port as a wired natural process can cause a huge amount of
medium to provide power and to transfer the destruction. There are processes that have been going
data. But for the future it plans on to provide

4
 2019 International Conference on Computing, Communication, and Intelligent Systems (ICCCIS)

on for ages and interfering with them can cause BrainGate used Utah Array which consists of series of
repercussions which can be very harmful if gone stiff needles that allows for up to 128 electrodes
wrong. channels which can transfer less volume of data when
compared to Neuralink’s BMI. The stiffness of the
Such is in the case of human body. We have always needles could damage them when the brain shifts its
been adapting ourselves to the environment. A kid of
shape which hinders in long-term functionality. [6]
today knows how to use a smartphone better than a
computer professional. Thinking that we can’t adapt to
the increasing artificial intelligence around ourselves Future for BMI and Neuralink
can be just a fear which we can overcome if we see This technology is very young at this stage and can
what changes the human brain has gone through to have a bright future depending upon how well it is
adapt to the changes around us. So, we can probably being received by the consumers. The vision of this
say that even though we as of now can’t become as technology can be fulfilled if it works properly without
intelligent or powerful as Artificial Intelligent, but it is glitching otherwise it can become a disaster which
safe to say that the future generation can be. wouldn’t create a great image. For it to work, the
technology must become reliable and shouldn’t have a
“Being the creator of artificial intelligence, we
price which could be paid by some affluent persons.
shouldn’t hold ourselves lowly than the creation.”
Neuralink can be one of the biggest
Because even though it is learning new things, we are
inventions/researches of the century if everything goes
the one who made it and it will always remain as a
right as their mission as well as vision can be felt by
helper to us if used in a constructive way.
most of us. The need of time will only decide.

“I don’t think artificial intelligence is a References

threat, or something terrible, and we are [1] Department of Physiology and MRC Cambridge
Centre for Brain Repair, U. o. (1999,
smart enough to learn that.”-JACK MA
August). The glial scar and central nervous
system repair. Retrieved from NCBI:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1048
Our body even has a healing mechanism which can be
3914
accelerated but just using this device can be a bit
uncomfortable for the patient and/or can make the [2] Fourtané, S. (2018, 09 02). Neuralink: How the
situation worse. Human Brain Will Download Directly from a
Computer. Retrieved from Interesting
Inserting a computer chip inside the brain might sound
Engineering:
something fancy but is it that worthy to be drilled for
https://interestingengineering.com/neuralink
(as of now, laser to be introduced later). Even to get
-how-the-human-brain-will-download-
yourself drilled and have a chip inserted you might
directly-from-a-computer
need to pay a large amount. For all the affluent
personalities, it might become an option if they face [3] Lana Wachowski, L. W. (Director). (1999). The
some rare brain disorder or neural disorder, but still Matrix [Motion Picture].
getting drilled cannot be worth anything.
[4] Lopatto, E. (2019, June 16). Elon Musk unveils
Meddling or interfering in any process is always Neuralink’s plans for brain-reading
devastating and shouldn’t be done but trying a new ‘threads’ and a robot to insert them.
technology for medical purposes can be beneficial for Retrieved from The Verge:
the human race. https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/16/20697
123/elon-musk-neuralink-brain-reading-
Other BMI projects thread-robot

BrainGate [5] Neuralink. (2019, July 16). Neuralink Launch

Event. United States: Neuralink.
BrainGate is another BMI initially developed by
Brown University in 2006. It was even used on a [6] Neuralink, E. M. (2019). An integrated brain-
patient named Matthew Nagle. Nagle had a spinal cord machine interface platform. Elon Musk and
paralysis and was the first person to get the brain Neuralink.
implant and control a computer using his mind. [6]

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