Neurotechnologies, transhumanism and mental privacy

Neuralink will soon start human trials. Research in neurotechnologies promise a transhuman revolution. But would it be a utopia or a dystopia?

Elon Musk is yet again talking about Neuralink, a research company engaged in the development of engineering solutions capable of interfacing with our brains and helping disabled people to regain motor and audio-visual functions. He says human trials will finally begin soon.

The technology developed by Neuralink (Link) is called brain-computer interface, and literally promises miracles, as can be read from the website:

We are designing the Link to connect to thousands of neurons in the brain, so that it may one day be able to record the activity of these neurons, process these signals in real time, and translate intended movements directly into the control of an external device. […] As users think about moving their arms or hands, we would decode those intentions, which would be sent over Bluetooth to the user’s computer.

For now, we’re flying low, so to speak. The Neuralink chip could in fact allow quadriplegic people to use a computer and related devices with their thoughts, without the need for external equipment. I admit that if I could write with my mind, it would help me too, a lot.

However, Elon Musk is not the only one engaged in research in the field of neurotechnology. Start-ups are springing up all over the world with the aim of developing and marketing consumer products (therefore not medical devices) ready to interface with the human brain.