Elon Musk's Neuralink brain chip has a 'rival' promising "non-invasive" tech that will allow you to control your dreams.
The Tesla tycoon is launching a six-year clinical trial of his "brain-computer interface" after getting the all-clear earlier this year. Musk claimed last month more than 5000 people had put themselves forward to receive the implant.
Now an apparent opponent has emerged. Artificial intelligence company Prophetic promises to give people the ability to "stabilise" sleep and "induce lucid dreaming" – a state that sees dreamers become aware they're asleep.
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In some cases this can even allow them to influence what happens in their dreams. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the organisation wrote: "We are a non-invasive neurotech company building a device to induce and stabilise lucid dreams."
In order to bring on this state of lucid dreaming, sleepers wear a device called The Halo around their head at night. "The design is a testament to the symbiotic relationship we have fostered between wearer and Halo," the company said.
"With it, we will pursue the answers to life's biggest questions."
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The company launched its "ultrasound study" this summer and is recruiting volunteers. Each participant will get a headset and access to an app, which Prophetic hopes will encourage people to sign up to contribute towards the "largest EEG (electroencephalogram) dataset on lucid dreams."
If all goes to plan, the nifty headsets will be shipped to customers in the Spring of 2025. Keen dreamers can already reserve a device despite its launch being a year and a half away.
The company also has an interesting tie to Neuralink. The chip was designed by tech brand Card79, headed up by Afshin Mehin – which also designed The Halo.
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Musk is looking to recruit paralysed volunteers for the first stage of his human trials. The Daily Star previously revealed the company's initial goal is to give people with quadriplegia – paralysis below the neck affecting both arms and legs – the "ability to control their computers and mobile devices" using their thoughts.
But ambitions for the start-up don't stop there. The chip hopes to "restore capabilities" in people with other health issues, including problems with motor function, vision and speech.
Neuroscientist Philip Sabes, who founded Neuralink with Musk, even claimed the chip could one day have mood-boosting effects and may be used to treat mental health issues such as depression. "This might sound like it’s getting towards sci-fi," he said. "But the idea that you can wake up and dial up your mood is something that might be a possibility."
But Musk's brainchild has already hit bumps in the road. A Wired investigation found as many as a dozen macaque monkeys suffered chronic infections, paralysis, brain swelling, and other horror side effects after receiving the chip.
"Patients should have serious concerns about the safety of Neuralink’s device," Ryan Merkley, director of research advocacy at the the Physicians Committee, said. "There are well-documented reports of company employees conducting rushed, sloppy experiments in monkeys and other animals."
Musk has admitted monkeys died during clinical trials of his polarising product. However the SpaceX boss has denied the deaths were directly related to the Neuralink chip.
"No monkey has died as a result of a Neuralink implant," Musk previously posted to X.
Neuralink has been contacted for comment.
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