Neuralink, a company co-founded by Elon Musk that aims to develop brain implants for boosting people’s mental capabilities, had plans to test products on animals, according to a new report. The new information provides rare insight into Neuralink’s earliest plans for executing on its bold vision, which could ultimately diversify Musk beyond cars with Tesla and space travel with SpaceX.

The report on Wednesday from Gizmodo points to a letter Neuralink employee Jared Birchall sent to a San Francisco city department last year that mentions plans for “a small operating room for in vivo testing, and a small room to house rodents.” Musk hasn’t spoken much about Neuralink in the past. But he has said that before the company would seek to deploy its technology for a wider population — which could be seven to nine years away — Neuralink would first try to help people with certain kinds of disabilities. READ MORE