[Reading Science] Musk Implants Chip in Brain... Korea Must Not Fall Behind

Neuroscience Competition at Home and Abroad
Musk's Neuralink Leads, but Domestic Technology Acquisition Also Needed
Experts Say, "Ethical and Legal Standards for Related Research Required"

Reuters Yonhap News

Brain-computer interface (BCI) technology is gaining global attention. The technology, which involves implanting semiconductor chips into the brain to control computers, smartphones, or robots using only thoughts, is becoming a reality rather than just imagination.

Neuralink, a brain neuroscience startup founded by Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, is a pioneer of BCI technology. Early last year, Neuralink succeeded in implanting a chip into the brain of a quadriplegic patient, enabling them to play chess using only their thoughts. Last month, the U.S. Science Corporation announced experimental results showing that living nerve cells implanted into a mouse brain could be controlled by external light. Another BCI company, Precision Neuroscience, recently raised $102 million in funding, valuing the company at about $500 million.

As interest in BCI technology grows domestically, the Korean Academy of Science and Technology recently gathered opinions from local experts. They forecast that BCI technology, represented by Neuralink, will become a core technology ushering in a new era of human-machine interaction beyond simple therapeutic devices, and advised the establishment of ethical and legal standards to prevent technology misuse.

Professor Lim Chang-hwan of Hanyang University, who is leading domestic BCI technology, explained, "When Neuralink first announced its establishment, the academic community's response was not favorable. However, within two years, they developed a sewing robot using thread-shaped electrodes, and since 2020, the ‘The Link’ system has enabled wireless transmission of brain signals."

Professor Lim added, "Traditional needle-shaped electrodes caused injuries whenever the brain moved, but thread-shaped electrodes solved this problem. The goal is also to reduce surgery time to under one hour." He evaluated, "The most innovative aspect of Neuralink is transforming needle-shaped electrodes into thread-shaped ones, bringing commercialization one step closer."

Besides Neuralink, several companies are accelerating BCI technology development. According to Professor Lim, the U.S. company Synchron developed a ‘stentrode’ inserted through brain blood vessels like a vascular stent and received approval for human clinical trials in 2021. France’s Clinatec developed a device attached to the brain surface that successfully helped patients with lower limb paralysis walk.

Domestic conglomerates are also entering related technology development. Hyundai Mobis developed the ‘Embrain’ system that detects driver drowsiness by measuring brainwaves around the ear, and LG Electronics released earbud-type devices that measure brainwaves during sleep to improve sleep quality.

◇ The Fusion of AI and the Brain Opens a New Future = Professor Jung Jae-seung of KAIST, a well-known brain science expert, predicted that BCI technology combined with artificial intelligence (AI) will open a new future.

He explained, "If the human brain and computers collaborate closely, tasks previously impossible will become feasible. For example, when AI and humans collaborate in satellite image analysis, the results are much better than when working independently." He added, "Combining human and AI analysis increases accuracy."

Professor Jung pointed out the limitations of current computers and AI and emphasized the need for new systems resembling the brain. He stressed, "Current computers operate inefficiently because software and hardware are separated, unlike the human brain, where 100 billion cells act simultaneously as processors and memory, delivering remarkable performance with the energy equivalent to just two or three light bulbs." He anticipated coexistence between the human brain’s functions and energy-intensive AI.

Professor Jung is also conducting research integrating current technology with BCI. He explained, "We upgraded commercially available robots with BCI technology so that robots move in real time according to human thoughts. In 93 out of 100 trials, the robot reached its destination without hitting walls."

He particularly emphasized ‘humanity’ as the future direction for AI. He said, "It will become more important not just to be smart but to think and act like humans. Technology that even people unfamiliar with it can easily use is necessary."

◇ Support Basic Research on Side Effects, etc. = Lee Ki-won, CEO of Ybrain, emphasized the medical potential of BCI technology. He said, "More than 50 million paralyzed patients exist worldwide, and there are no treatments for them. BCI technology like Neuralink is a medical device technology nearing commercialization."

Experts pointed out challenges to be addressed for BCI commercialization. First, safety verification of the technology is necessary. Although Neuralink has demonstrated safety in animal experiments, research on long-term side effects and immune responses is insufficient.

Professor Park Jung-hwan of Seoul National University emphasized the importance of basic research related to BCI. He said, "Stimulations without a precise understanding of brain functions can cause unexpected side effects such as depression. Long-term funding support is needed for integrated basic and clinical research."

Wireless data transmission also poses hacking risks. Professor Lim stressed, "It is necessary to train security experts and build systems that can protect sensitive neural signals."

◇ Support for Korean-style Neuralink Needed = Experts unanimously agreed that government policy support is necessary for developing Korean-style Neuralink technology.

CEO Lee presented three core tasks: ‘continuous research and development (R&D) support, regulatory reform and demonstration, and participation in international standardization.’ He particularly emphasized, "With China investing heavily in BCI technology development at the national level, Korea must secure global competitiveness through domestic technology development."

Professor Lim suggested, "Our technology is not far behind, but as human trials continue, the technology gap could widen significantly, so it is necessary to supplement related systems and provide support."

Professor Jung proposed, "Researchers view technology from different perspectives, so an environment is needed where potential problems arising from collaboration can be carefully reflected upon. A research environment should be created that considers ethical issues not only from clinical, engineering, and basic science perspectives but also from humanities and social sciences viewpoints."