The first human patient to have a chip implanted in their brain through the company Neuralink appears to have fully recovered and is able to control a computer mouse by using their thoughts, Reuters reports. The startup’s founder, Elon Musk, announced the update this week, sharing the patient’s progress and that there have been no ill effects at this time. The company successfully implanted the chip last month.
If you would like more context on this matter, please consider Victor Krauthamer, an adjunct professor of biomedical engineering at the George Washington University. He has 30 years of experience at FDA as a scientist and Director of the Division of Biomedical Physics at the Center for Devices and Radiological Health and Acting Director of the Division of Neurological and Physical Medicine Devices. Krauthamer’s PhD and postdoctoral work were in neurophysiology.
At the FDA, his division evaluated the scientific basis of medical devices for neurological/psychiatric disorders, cardiac electrophysiology, wireless technology, the use of magnetic resonance for imaging and functional measures, innovative optical diagnostic techniques, and the use of computational methods to help evaluate device effects in humans. In addition, his FDA team initiated a lab program on functional performance as related to the evaluation of devices for people with disabilities. His current research is focused on the improvement of medical device regulatory practices and policies. His research publications range from basic neuroscience, the safety of electrical stimulation in nervous and cardiac tissue, to analysis of the policy basis of regulatory decision making and their consequences.
If you would like to speak with Prof. Krauthamer, please contact GW Senior Media Relations Specialist Cate Douglass at [email protected].
-GW-