Elon Musk’s Neuralink Wants To Connect Brains To Machines, And They'll Show How On Friday

Elon Musk took on electric cars, then outer space. Now, the head of Tesla and SpaceX entrepreneur is turning his attention to the human brain.

Next week, Musk unveils his latest project -- the early stage of a device that will let humans use their brains to control their phones and laptops.

On Friday, the entrepreneur's Neuralink company will show off a prototype of a device that allows the brain to interact with technology -- in other words, machines.

In a tweet Tuesday, Musk also shared that the big reveal will feature a second-generation robot designed to attach the Neuralink device to humans. Hooking up the device isn't as simple as LASIK eye surgery, Musk told followers, but the procedure is getting simpler. Musk previously said the goal is to give the process the simplicity of LASIK.

Musk long has held that brain-machine "interfaces" are an integral next step for humanity, as the augmentation of human brainpower with technology could help humans keep pace with artificial intelligence. Neuralink’s technology is said to utilize extremely small electrode “threads,” thinner than human hairs to connect to the brain via a “sewing machine-like” process. Previous forms of the technology required the use of stiffer electrodes which potentially could cause damage.

Neuralink’s proposed technologies have been welcomed by the broader medical community, potentially offering benefits for the disabled and those with neurological disorders. The company suggested last year that clinical trials for its interface tech could begin as early as late 2020.

Based in San Francisco, Neuralink was founded by Musk in 2016 and first publicly disclosed in early 2017.