The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is said to have given the green light to Elon Musk's brain implant company for the first clinical trial on humans.
In a tweet, Neuralink said the FDA approval marks an important first step that its technology could one day help many people.
Earlier in 2016, Musk launched the Neuralink brain chip dream to enable the human brain to control electrical devices and stimulate brain motor function in Parkinson's, dementia and Alzheimer's patients.
Therefore, it is hoped to help restore paralyzed patients to move and communicate again.
Approval to begin clinical trials has been delayed several times in the past due to issues that emerged in laboratory tests on animals.
This prompted an investigation by the Department of Transportation into whether Neuralink was illegally transporting dangerous pathogens on chips removed from monkey brains without proper containment measures.
Not only that, it is also being investigated by the US Department of Agriculture's Office of the Inspector General for possible animal welfare violations.
