Wetin be di brain-chip wey America approve for human trial

Elon Musk brain-chip firm say dem don receive approval from di US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) to carry out dia first tests on human beings.

Di Neuralink implant company wan help restore pipo sight and mobility by linking human brains to computers.

E say immediate plans no dey to recruit participants.

FDA bin first reject one earlier bid by Neuralink to approve di test on safety grounds, according to one report for March by di Reuters news agency wey cite multiple current and former employees.

Neuralink dey hope to use dia microchips treat conditions like paralysis and blindness, and to help certain disabled pipo to fit use computers and mobile technology.

Experts don give warning say Neuralink brain implants go require extensive testing to overcome technical and ethical challenges if dem go become widely available.

Wetin be Neuralink

One company, Neuralink wey di rocket company SpaceX CEO, Elon Musk co-found for 2016 dey hope to “connect humans and computers” according to dia website.

Di company don design one microchip wey dem go take connect pipo brain to computer. Dem hope say go dis chips go help treat conditions like paralysis and blindness, e go also help certain disabled pipo to sabi how to use computer and mobile technology.

Di chips – wey dem don test on monkeys – dey designed to interpret signals wey di brain produce and send di information to devices via Bluetooth.

How e dey work and wetin be im work

Dr Roz Wyatt-Millington, one Senior Lecturer for Electronic Engineering for Leeds Beckett University, tell Newsround say dem go link di technology to our brain wit devices we dey use.

"Di idea na to allow these chips record di electrical signals di brain dey produce and process dem for real time – dat is as dem dey produce am - and send di information via Bluetooth to an app on a mobile device," she tok.

"Dis go allow pipo wey no fit use dia hands to fit control dia fone.

"Long term di aim na to let dem fit use any Bluetooth mouse or keyboard so dem fit use dia brain to directly control a computer."

E dey safe?

Di brain na very sensitive organ, so anybody wey dey plan to put anytin or attach anything inside gatz dey very careful.

Dat na why Neuralink don spend plenty time dey do testing, Dr Roz explain: "Di technology dey based on years of research into wetin we call di brain-machine interface – dat na devices wey go allow digital device to communicate directly wit di brain.

"E gatz go through full clinical trials so dat by di time e go dey available generally, e go dey safe for pipo to use."

Latest update on Neuralink

Elon Musk bin announce on Thursday say Neuralink don tok of one "important first step wey go one day allow our technology to help many pipo".

Di approval na "di result of di ogbonge work by di Neuralink team wey dem do in close collaboration wit di FDA", e post on Twitter.

Di firm don promise more informate "soon" on dia plans to sign up trial participants.

Dia website don promise say "safety, accessibility and reliability" all na priorities during dia engineering process.

Di company – wey oga Musk co-found for 2016 - don repeatedly overestimate di speed at which dem fit execute dia plans.

Dia initial aim na to start dey plant di chips for human brains for 2020, in order to honour one pledge dem make di year before. Dem later promise to start am for 2022.

Di business suffer anoda setback for December last year, afta e reportedly come under investigation for alleged animal welfare violations for dia work. E bin earlier deny similar claims.

Di announcement on FDA approval for human tests bin follow one recent tori of one similar breakthrough wey involve brain implants by Swiss researchers.

One paralysed man from di Netherlands fit walk simply by thinking about am - thanks to one system of implants wey wirelessly transmit im thoughts to im legs and feet.