Elon Musk's brain-computer interface company Neuralink has finally broken its silence. Since the company was formed in 2016, it has kept its plans secret, but in a presentation on Tuesday night it showed off its vision and explained what the firm has done so far. At the event, the company unveiled a brain-computer interface – a technology that allows machines to read brain activity. Neuralink says its device will have around 3000 surgically implanted electrodes, each of which will be able monitor around 1000 neurons at a time. The electrodes will be attached to around 100 extremely thin threads, between 4 and 6 micrometres wide, which is much less than the width of a hair.

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab (APL) have successfully integrated control of their Modular Prosthetic Limb with a commercially available wearable. Using two Myo armbands - muscle-sensing wearables that are already capable of controlling PCs and drones - the wearer is able to perform muscle actions with their upper arm, which are detected by the armbands and wirelessly transmitted to a nearby computer. The computer then determines the movement that is being attempted and sends a signal to the prosthetic arm to complete the task. Using this system, the test subject was able to demonstrate individual finger control, simultaneous finger control, two degrees of freedom at the wrist, multiple grasps and complete simulated activities of daily living. The success of this system is due in large part to the attachment method of the prosthesis, known as osseointegration.