The R1 Robot is a surgical robot developed by Neuralink, designed to implant the Neuralink N1 implant. Neuralink, co-founded by Elon Musk, is a neurotechnology company working on brain-machine interfaces. The R1 is integral to Neuralink's mission to create a generalized brain interface to restore autonomy to those with unmet medical needs. It automates the insertion of ultra-fine threads, each thinner than a human hair, into the brain with micron-level precision. These threads connect the N1 implant's 1,024 electrodes to the brain, recording and transmitting brain signals.
The R1 robot's key feature is its ability to perform precise surgery, which is beyond human capabilities, by using camera systems and optical coherence tomography to visualize the brain in high definition. This allows it to identify and avoid individual blood vessels, minimizing damage to the brain tissue. The robot inserts the threads into the motor cortex, the region of the brain that controls movement. The goal is to enable individuals with paralysis to control external devices with their thoughts. As of February 2026, Neuralink has not released pricing information for the R1 Robot, as it is currently only used in clinical trials. Neuralink is expanding its trials to Canada, the UK, and the UAE.
