Elon Musk and his Neuralink company's attempt to begin testing brain chips in humans has been rejected by the FDA, according to a report by Reuters.
The request was submitted to the agency last year but according to Reuters, the FDA identified several problematic factors with the technology, including the chip's lithium battery and the potential for small wires to move to other areas of the brain.
"Neuralink doesn't appear to have the mindset and experience that's needed to get this to market anytime soon," Kip Ludwig, former program director for neural engineering at the U.S. National Institute of Health.
There was also a concern of whether or not the chip could be removed without inflicting damage to brain tissue.
What Exactly Is Neuralink?
Musk has claimed the technology could be life-changing for people suffering from paralysis, enabling them to communicate and walk, or it could help repair visual impairment in people.
The chip is supposed to process brain signals that are then transmitted to a device. While human trials for Neuralink have not commenced, there have been versions of the tech that reportedly had some success in animals. However, the company faced pushback and a probe from the U.S. Department of Agriculture after animal cruelty concerns were raised.
Last month Neuralink admitted that at least one monkey was euthanized because of a surgical complication.
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Spain's government has fined Airbnb 64 million euros or $75 million for advertising unlicensed tourist rentals. The consumer rights ministry announced the fine on Monday. The ministry stated that many listings lacked proper license numbers or included incorrect information. The move is part of Spain's ongoing efforts to regulate short-term rental companies amid a housing affordability crisis especially in popular urban areas. The ministry ordered Airbnb in May to remove around 65,000 listings for similar violations. The government's consumer rights minister emphasized the impact on families struggling with housing. Airbnb said it plans to challenge the fine in court.
Roomba maker iRobot has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, but says that it doesn’t expect any disruptions to devices as the more than 30-year-old company is taken private under a restructuring process. iRobot said that it is being acquired by Picea through a court-supervised process. Picea is the company's primary contract manufacturer. The Bedford, Massachusetts-based anticipates completing the prepackaged chapter 11 process by February.
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