Elon Musk's Neuralink has received the green light from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to proceed with the first clinical trial of its brain implant involving humans, overcoming past regulatory hurdles.
Musk's enterprise, which aspires to integrate the human brain with artificial intelligence, looks to address a range of health conditions and facilitate web browsing through neural implants.
However, this FDA clearance is just the first step for Neuralink. The company has yet to recruit participants for this landmark study.
Past setbacks included concerns about the safety of the device's battery, the possibility of internal wire migration, and safe extraction procedures.
Neuralink, founded in 2016, is still under investigation for several other potential infractions, including possible breaches of animal-welfare legislation and concerns over the mishandling of hazardous pathogens.