The brain chip pioneers who paved the way for Elon Musk's Neuralink: Brave patients have been getting devices implanted in their skulls SINCE 2006

Elon Musk captured the imaginations of the world this week when he revealed one of the first volunteers to have his brain chip implanted in their skulls. But the historic moment is only possible thanks to decades of pioneering scientists and brave subjects that came before it - who had brain-computer interface chips into people's brains, with much more primitive tech. Musk has said he hopes that in the very near future his Neuralink device will enable people to control a computer cursor or keyboard with their brain to communicate, like'replacing a piece of the skull with a smartwatch.' Musk has said he hopes that in the very near future his Neuralink device will enable people to control a computer cursor or keyboard with their brain to communicate, like'replacing a piece of the skull with a smartwatch.' Ultimately, brain-computer interface devices offer the promise of giving disabled people the ability to see, touch, speak, and perform tasks again - and some proponents like Musk see an ultimate goal of all of humanity merging with tech in future. His device builds on the foundation built by tech that was pioneered in 2006 and allowed a paralyzed man to move a computer mouse with his brain a whole decade before Neuralink was founded.