Neuralink, Elon Musk's new venture that plans to merge human brains with computers, has hired a Boston University researcher as one of its earliest employees.
Timothy Gardner, an associate professor of biology at BU, confirmed to The Wall Street Journal that he was among the handful of researchers hired by the Tesla and SpaceX founder.
When reached by phone, Gardner told me he wouldn't be commenting any further.
As WSJ reported, Musk's new company is developing what it calls "neural lace" technology, which involves "implanting tiny brain electrodes that may one day upload and download thoughts."
While Musk didn't publicly comment on WSJ's new report, he has previously teased the technology. Early on, it could be used to treat brain diseases and, in the long run, help humans keep up with advancements in artificial intelligence.
Gardner leads the Laboratory of Neural Circuit Formation at BU, where he studies how birds sing by implanting tiny, minimally invasive electrodes on their brains. The research, according to a page on the lab's website, seeks to address rules for single neuron types that underly sensory-motor learning and the "nature of memory stability for skilled movements."
