Musk’s Neuralink faces Federal Probe, Employee Backlash Over Animal Tests.

Ah, the wonderful world of Brain Implants.

A theoretical Savaing Grace for some suffering from motor impairment or neurological disorders, or a monstrosity and abomination of science gone too far?

The problems with Neuralink’s testing have raised questions internally about the quality of the resulting data, three current or former employees said. Such problems could potentially delay the company’s bid to start human trials, which Musk has said the company wants to do within the next six months.

Musk's Neuralink faces Federal Probe, Employee Backlash Over Animal Tests

Neuralink Corp is developing a brain implant it hopes will help paralyzed people walk again and cure other neurological ailments. The federal probe, which has not been previously reported, was opened in recent months by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Inspector General at the request of a federal prosecutor, according to two sources with knowledge of the investigation. The probe, one of the sources said, focuses on violations of the Animal Welfare Act, which governs how researchers treat and test some animals.

On several occasions over the years, Musk has told employees to imagine they had a bomb strapped to their heads in an effort to get them to move faster, according to three sources who repeatedly heard the comment. On one occasion a few years ago, Musk told employees he would trigger a “market failure” at Neuralink unless they made more progress, a comment perceived by some employees as a threat to shut down operations, according to a former staffer who heard his comment.

I understand animal experimentation is a necessary evil when it comes to developing new treatments and cures for the various human maladies that affect many members of the populace, but the recent reports of Neuralink failures has me concerned. I don't think they're anywhere near a point where human trials should begin, no matter Musk's ambition on the project.

In all, the company has killed about 1,500 animals, including more than 280 sheep, pigs and monkeys, following experiments since 2018, according to records reviewed by Reuters and sources with direct knowledge of the company’s animal-testing operations. The sources characterized that figure as a rough estimate because the company does not keep precise records on the number of animals tested and killed. Neuralink has also conducted research using rats and mice.

Given that Musk seems more interested in speed and deadlines that the welfare of the animals and higher primates being used for these tests (none of which have been reported to have any successful application of the proposed technology from what I have been able to gather). Most of the test subjects have died or euthenized from internal bleeding, paralysis, chronic infections, seizures, declining psychological health and even sudden death.

Musk has gone on record claiming, without evidence, that Neuralink’s devices could enable “superhuman cognition,” enable paralyzed people to operate smartphones or robotic limbs with their minds someday, and “solve” autism and schizophrenia.

I for one would not trust anything electronic in my brain, not just because of how invasive such tech is but also because of how easily it could be hacked or accessed. Folks with pacemakers can't get within range of microwaves, imagine how careful someone with a brain implant would have to be in a world littered with Wifi Networks and all other manner of technological apparatuses surrounding us at every turn.

Will this Federal Probe spell the end of Musk's Neuralink ambitions?

Time will tell.

Bring on the #in' future, baby.

I'm gonna bot so hard.

a reply to: GENERAL EYES

Every biology dept in every college in the land has a torture chamber for animals. Horrifying what's actually done and most of it military sponsored. I can't imagine why an experiment would call for horses to be drowned in a pool or sheep skinned like grapes but there''s nightmarish stuff happening in a city near you.

Why now and why Neuralink ?

Seems Musk has gained a lot of attention over the last few months and you have to wonder why. If we look back over many decades and all the animals used in experiments, many dying horrible deaths, they didn't seem too worried. It was a "sacrifice for science" and animals were used in terrible ways, but now all of a sudden they gain a conscience ?

Don't get me wrong, I think animal experiments are horrible, but it just seems a bit odd he's being investigated, when this has been going on for a very long time.

I’d rather be a neuralink chimp than a commercially farmed cow.

a reply to: GENERAL EYES

I hope he is successful with Neurolink. I'm not interested in being equipped with a brain chip, unless I develop a health reason to adopt it. Still, the medical progress that will likely occur with this technology is astounding. It's also likely that this tech will herald in a new era only dreamed of in sci-fi novels. That's probably 30 - 40 years, or so, off so I'll be dead before then.

originally posted by: GENERAL EYES

Most of the test subjects have died or euthenized from internal bleeding, paralysis, chronic infections, seizures, declining psychological health and even sudden death.

Good thread mate and interesting that they're trying to spin this from an 'animal testing' angle.

More info here on the test monkeys suffering 'chronic infections, seizures and paralysis' after being invasively 'brainchipped' - apparently one monkey chewed its own fingers off.

Suppose there's also the inevitable DARPA and WEF involvement to take into account.

That sob Mengele should instal the chip first to he's own brain .

originally posted by: ConcernedCanadian
a reply to: GENERAL EYES

Every biology dept in every college in the land has a torture chamber for animals. Horrifying what's actually done and most of it military sponsored. I can't imagine why an experiment would call for horses to be drowned in a pool or sheep skinned like grapes but there''s nightmarish stuff happening in a city near you.

A top US government official named Anthony Fauci tortured our beloved canine pets.

www.tampafp.com...

A lot of paperwork to test with animals and it's been out in the open. That said, all the paperwork probably has been checked and rechecked but someone wants their name in the news. So a big investigation into it . Probably no laws broken but trying to make a successful African American look bad is the goal.

originally posted by: carewemust

originally posted by: ConcernedCanadian
a reply to: GENERAL EYES

Every biology dept in every college in the land has a torture chamber for animals. Horrifying what's actually done and most of it military sponsored. I can't imagine why an experiment would call for horses to be drowned in a pool or sheep skinned like grapes but there''s nightmarish stuff happening in a city near you.

A top US government official named Anthony Fauci tortured our beloved canine pets.

www.tampafp.com...

I've seen with my own eyes worse than what's on that link you thoughtfully provided. I've been in a room where the decapitation of cats was the sole purpose. The cats were provided by the usual pro animal groups. That was the psychology dept with the cat heads by the way not the biology department but even if you snuck up to the roof of the oceanography building for a toke you'd see the horrific abuse of dolphins in tiny pools. I bounced around a lot in schools lol

originally posted by: carewemust
A top US government official named Anthony Fauci tortured our beloved canine pets.

They could schedule Anthony Fauci's trial, for the same charge, and to take place at the same time and venue, and use all the same prosecuters, Judge, bailiffs, etc. It would save the taxpayers a lot of money. After all, justice is the true goal here, right?


TCB

At this rate "neuralink" is probably another Musk larp while everyone is injected with the actual "neuralink"
Trust the science, Musk smoked a doobie, he left the wef and is one of us now!

a reply to: cooperton

Said by someone who apparently didn’t study psychology. No, the cow has it better. But the research neural link monkey is key for brain mapping. Dear cooperton, I appreciate your love of cows, but you need to stop believing PETA nonsense and realize that cattle farmed for meat die quickly. They literally get shot in the temple with a metal bolt. The monkey on the other hand…when it comes to psychology, the experiments are always the most disturbing. Remember lobotomies? Dying quickly is better than living and suffering endlessly. Not to say they’re abusing animals—I know quite a bit about the research and it’s not inherently abusive.

The Federal probe is the government’s bid to get itself a piece of the pie, so to speak.

Of course there’s a government probe: The fellow is delving into new areas of psychological study and he isn’t giving the gov’t one of two things: Enough money or enough information. That’s what Occam’s razor would show. The government is traditionally wary of projects it has limited control over. Since the industry is private and not a government organization, it is no surprise at all. Just look at the restrictions placed on Tesla in states where car dealerships aren’t legally allowed to be the manufacturer.

Red tape everywhere

Kenzo, calm thyself. Experimenting on animals is necessary in psychological and medical research. If you don’t like it, you’d better not use medicines and you had better use all cruelty free products. Good luck with that. You likely showered with animal testing products this morning. So either be a real animal advocate or stop it.

a reply to: InwardDiver

You’re in luck—if the government doesn’t ruin it, you should be seeing advances in the next couple of years!!

originally posted by: rukia

Since the industry is private and not a government organization, it is no surprise at all

DARPA have been involved since day one.

Also thought some important points were raised here about 'funding'.