Elon Musk's brain-implant company Neuralink has chosen the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona, as the initial study site to test its Telepathy device. The first participant in Neuralink's study, Noah Arbaugh, underwent a successful procedure at the institute in January to get the device implanted. Known as a brain-computer interface, or BCI, the technology is meant to translate brain signals into commands that control a computer or other external device. Neuralink's goal is to enable individuals with paralysis to use a cursor or keyboard with just their thoughts. In March, Arbaugh demonstrated his ability to use the system in a short livestream on the social media platform X.

Elon Musk's announcement last week that his startup Neuralink had implanted the first human patient with its experimental brain device generated immediate buzz. But Musk's statements on his social media platform X raised more questions than they answered about the trial for a risky device that the tech billionaire says could one day help the paralyzed walk, four experts in the brain implant field told Reuters. Neuralink does not have to divulge even basic details about its trial, including the facility where patients are being implanted with the device and monitored, as well as the number of participants and expected completion date.

Elon Musk's brain implant company Neuralink has announced it is one step closer to putting brain implants in people. Today, the company stated that it will begin recruiting patients with paralysis to test its experimental brain implant and that it has received approval from a hospital institutional review board. Such boards are independent committees assembled to monitor biomedical research involving human subjects and flag any concerns to investigators. Neuralink is dubbing this "the Prime Study," for Precise Robotically Implanted Brain-Computer Interface. Neuralink did not specify where the trial will take place, and company representatives did not immediately respond to WIRED's emailed request for an interview.