After the success of Tesla, Elon Musk is a major figure in the tech world and is onto his next big project – the possibility of linking the human brain to computers. He recently filed a trade mark and started a company with the mission to investigate the benefits of fusing brains with computers.
Musk masked behind the trade mark deal
In January, Elon Musk, the entrepreneurial tech genius and billionaire, bought a trade mark on 'Neuralink.' It was originally owned by an an electrical engineer and professor at Case Western Reserve University named Pedram Mohseni and his scientific partner, Randolph Nudo of Kansas University Medical Centre.
However, the twist is, they had no idea that Elon Musk was behind the deal, according to MIT Technology Review.
Mohseni and Nudo had owned the trade mark since 2015. The two scientists had made a device that can help people with brain damage. One day, out of the blue, they were approached by a stranger who offered them tens of thousands of dollars for their company name.
"They approached us, we negotiated, and now Elon Musk will be the rightful owner of Neuralink," says Mohseni.
Instead of feeling resentful, Mohseni is reported to be excited about the possibilities now that Musk can back this invention.
Improving the human body with technology
With the trade mark bought, Elon Musk is now getting started on the company Neuralink, which could make this science fiction fantasy a reality.
The trade mark filings state that the main objective of this technology is to cure and diagnose neurological illnesses, the Economist states.
Another aim, however, is to prevent humans from becoming 'the house cat' of artificial intelligence, as Musk put it during a speech at the Vox Media's Code Conference in Southern California. Musk thinks that this technology will help humans remain competitive in an economy that is increasingly seeing jobs being taken over by robots.
He calls it "neural lace" technology, a term he allegedly borrowed from science-fiction writer Iain M. Banks. Banks's idea was essentially to create a machine interface woven into the brain.
Creating a neural lace is the thing that really matters for humanity to achieve symbiosis with machines
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 4, 2016
Have a trade mark idea?
For Musk to invest as much as he did in a trade mark shows that the name of a company is important even if you have an amazing invention up your sleeve.
To find out more about how you can go about securing a trade mark, talk to Alder IP's trade mark attorneys. We'll put you on the right path and advise you on the best course of action so that you get the best trade mark for your company.