A new era begins for technology with Elon Musk’s brain chip getting approval for testing in Canada, while for us the time has come to control devices with our thoughts.

In particular, Canada’s University Health Network said Toronto Western Hospital will be the first non-U.S. test site for a device created by Neuralink Corp., Elon Musk’s brain-implant company.

“We are incredibly proud to be at the forefront of this research advancement in neurosurgery“, said CEO of UHNKevin Smith, in a statement. He also said UHN will be the “first and exclusive” site for the trial in Canada, but did not say when it would begin.

On Wednesday, Neuralink said it had received approval from regulators in Canada to begin clinical trials for its device in that country.

“OR Health Canada approved the start of our first clinical trial in Canada” the company posted on X, the social networking service also owned by Musk. “Recruitment is now open».

Neuralink added that it was looking for patients with quadriplegia due to ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, or spinal cord injury.

Health Canada did not immediately comment.

For months, Neuralink has been recruiting patients in the US, UK and Canada, with links to a registry on its website. Other companies in the field, such as Synchron Inc., are recruiting for their own future trials.

Neuralink’s first product aims to allow patients to control external devices, such as computers, through their thoughts. Neuralink is also working on treating other conditions like blindness, but that project is further along. In the distant future, Musk said Neuralink could work with healthy patients on functions such as memory enhancement.

The first patient, Noland Arbaugh, was implanted with Neuralink’s device earlier this year at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix.