Accessibility is the design of products, devices, services, vehicles, or environments so as to be usable by people with disabilities.
Assistive technology is the creation of a new device that assists a person in completing a task that would otherwise be impossible. Some examples include new computer software programs like screen readers, and inventions such as assistive listening devices, including hearing aids, and traffic lights with a standard color code that enables colorblind individuals to understand the correct signal.
Disabled people are likely to have had their attention piqued by Musk reiterating that, in the first instance, Neuralink would be looking to “solve important brain and spine problems.”
In fact, throughout the presentation, several chronic and life-limiting conditions were cited as being potentially treatable by Neuralink — ranging from blindness, spinal cord injuries, memory loss, brain damage and even depression.
The company’s first round of clinical trials will focus on patients with spinal cord injuries.
…Neuralink said, adding that its initial goal is to enable people to control a computer cursor or keyboard using their thoughts alone.
ETA:
I have no interest in defending the muskrat or his dystopian vision for this technology. I’m just a developer who gives half a shit about making accessible software, so I want people to know what that means.
I hadn’t really formed an opinion on this article specifically, but… If I had spinal damage? I might consider signing up for the monkey-killer chip too. A shot at getting my body back might be too enticing to resist.
I don’t think that word means what you think it means.
It means several things, including the following two things that are the ones Musk is more than likely focusing on:
1: ease of acquiring the chip
2: ease of access to (manipulating) the chip once installed
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility
https://www.forbes.com/sites/gusalexiou/2020/09/08/could-elon-musks-neuralink-be-a-game-changer-for-people-with-disabilities
https://www.reuters.com/technology/musks-neuralink-start-human-trials-brain-implant-2023-09-19/
ETA:
I have no interest in defending the muskrat or his dystopian vision for this technology. I’m just a developer who gives half a shit about making accessible software, so I want people to know what that means.
I hadn’t really formed an opinion on this article specifically, but… If I had spinal damage? I might consider signing up for the monkey-killer chip too. A shot at getting my body back might be too enticing to resist.