Neuralink, a company founded by Elon Musk, is launching its first human trial called the PRIME (Precise Robotically Implanted Brain-Computer Interface) study. The primary focus of this trial is to evaluate the safety of the implant and the surgical robot used to insert it into the human skull and connect wire-like electrodes to the brain tissue.

The N1 implant, unlike the previous pig and rat test versions, will be “cosmetically invisible,” according to Neuralink. It will be housed inside a biocompatible white enclosure and powered by a wireless charging battery. The implant consists of custom silicon and more than 1,000 electrodes that are placed inside the brain tissue.

The robot used in the surgery has an incredibly thin needle, thinner than a human hair, to delicately insert the electrode threads. This step is currently considered the most complex and risky part of the entire implantation process. Neuralink envisions that its brain interface will eventually help restore vision for the blind from birth and restore full body functionality in individuals with spinal cord injuries. Despite concerns about safety and skepticism surrounding the technology, Musk has previously stated that he intends to personally get a Neuralink chip implanted.