Neuralink, Elon Musk’s brain technology startup, which develops brain implants for people with physical disabilities to control computers with their thoughts, broadcast live on Wednesday, a video showing the first-ever user performing various tasks with his mind.
Noland Arbaugh, 29, a former Texas A&M University athlete, was paralyzed in a diving accident in 2016 and has no feeling below his shoulders. In January, Arbaugh became the first human patient to experience the brain chip.
On Wednesday, he demonstrated how he can use the mouse cursor, play online chess and pause music.
https://t.co/OMIeGGjYtG
— Neuralink (@neuralink) March 20, 2024
Arbaugh said he was able to stay up until 6 a.m. playing Civilization 6, a turn-based strategy video game, thanks to the chip.
Related: Elon Musk says Neuralink just implanted its ‘telepathy’ device into a human brain for the first time – here’s what it means
“It’s not perfect, I would say we ran into some issues,” he said in the video. “I don’t want people to think this is the end of the journey. There’s a lot of work to do but it’s already changed my life.”
The Neuralink chip, which is a coin-sized implant called Telepathy, works inside a part of the brain that controls movement. According to the company, the chip detects the user’s brain activity and allows them to use devices such as computers and smartphones intentionally, without needing to move.
Arbaugh explained that he first had to distinguish between imagined movement and attempted movement. He would try to move his right hand in different directions, developing more of an intuition about how to imagine the movement of the cursor.
Related: Elon Musk’s brain implants were just approved for human use. “You will be able to save and playback memories.”
“Basically, it was like using force on the cursor,” he said, later adding that he would “simply stare at a point on the screen” and the cursor would move wherever he wanted.
Users on X expressed hopes AND fears for technology.
There is this thing though… pic.twitter.com/FekG7e1BkF
— Satoshi Club (@esatoshiclub) March 20, 2024
Existing technology on the market for people with disabilities includes eye-tracking technology from companies like Tobii Dynavox, which can translate small eye movements into text and then into synthetic speech.
Companies like Blackrock Neurotech and Paradromics are also working on brain implants.
While brain implant technology is still in its preliminary stages, Musk highlighted its long-term potential.
“In the long term, it is possible to divert signals from the brain’s motor cortex beyond the damaged part of the spine to allow people to walk again and use their arms normally,” Musk claimed.
Related: Elon Musk’s Neuralink is under investigation for allegedly endangering human safety
Neuralink, which follows Musk only on X, asked “Who is next?” on the platform Thursday.
The startup’s first clinical study, which the company calls “the first of its kind to be performed in people,” is now open to human recruitment for those with limited or no ability to use both hands due to ALS or a spinal cord injury.