Summary
Elon Musk’s Neuralink livestreamed its first patient using a brain chip to control a computer cursor and play online chess. The 29-year-old patient, Noland Arbaugh, paralyzed after a diving accident, was able to move the cursor using only his thoughts. Arbaugh had received the implant in January and could control a computer mouse with his mind. He expressed gratitude for the ability to play games again. While the technology is not perfect, it has already changed his life. Experts note that there is still work to be done, but acknowledge that interfacing with a computer in this way is a positive development for the patient. FDA inspectors found problems with recordkeeping at Neuralink.
Neuralink shows first brain-chip patient playing online chess
Elon Musk’s brain-chip startup Neuralink livestreamed on Wednesday its first patient implanted with a chip using his mind to play online chess.
Noland Arbaugh, the 29-year-old patient who was paralyzed below the shoulder after a diving accident, played chess on his laptop and moved the cursor using the Neuralink device. The implant seeks to enable people to control a computer cursor or keyboard using only their thoughts.
Arbaugh had received an implant from the company in January and could control a computer mouse using his thoughts, Musk said last month.
“The surgery was super easy,” Arbaugh said in the video streamed on Musk’s social media platform X, referring to the implant procedure. “I literally was released from the hospital a day later. I have no cognitive impairments.
“I had basically given up playing that game,” Arbaugh said, referring to the game Civilization VI, “you all (Neuralink) gave me the ability to do that again and played for 8 hours straight.”
Elaborating on his experience with the new technology, Arbaugh said that it is “not perfect” and they “have run into some issues.”
“I don’t want people to think that this is the end of the journey, there’s still a lot of work to be done, but it has already changed my life,” he added.
Kip Ludwig, former program director for neural engineering at the US National Institutes of Health, said what Neuralink showed was not a “breakthrough.”
“It is still in the very early days post-implantation, and there is a lot of learning on both the Neuralink side and the subject’s side to maximize the amount of information for control that can be achieved,” he added.
Even so, Ludwig said it was a positive development for the patient that they have been able to interface with a computer in a way they were not able to before the implant. “It’s certainly a good starting point,” he said.
Last month, Reuters reported that the US Food and Drug Administration inspectors found problems with record keeping and quality controls for animal experiments at Elon Musk’s Neuralink, less than a month after the startup said it was cleared to test its brain implants in humans. Neuralink did not respond then to questions about the FDA’s inspection.
Recently, there has been a lot of excitement and interest surrounding Neuralink, a company founded by Elon Musk with the goal of developing brain-computer interface technology. The successful live-streamed demonstration of a patient using their mind to control a computer cursor or keyboard has captivated the public’s attention and raised hopes for the future of neurotechnology.
Neuralink’s achievement in enabling Noland Arbaugh, a paralyzed individual, to play online chess using only his thoughts is a significant milestone in the field of neural engineering. This breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize the lives of individuals with paralysis or other disabilities, giving them new ways to interact with the world around them.
Arbaugh’s testimony about his experience with the Neuralink implant sheds light on the positive impact the technology has had on his life. The ease of the surgical procedure and the immediate results he experienced demonstrate the potential of brain-chip implants to enhance quality of life for those with physical limitations.
Despite the early success of the Neuralink demonstration, experts like Kip Ludwig emphasize the importance of continued research and development in optimizing the function and capabilities of brain-computer interfaces. While the current technology is promising, there is still room for improvement and refinement to maximize its effectiveness.
Furthermore, concerns raised by the FDA inspection at Neuralink highlight the need for rigorous standards and quality control in the development and testing of neurotechnology devices. Ensuring the safety and reliability of brain implants is paramount to the success and acceptance of such innovative medical technologies.
As the field of neural engineering advances, collaborations between researchers, clinicians, and regulatory agencies will be essential to navigate the complex ethical and scientific challenges posed by brain-computer interface technology. Addressing issues related to privacy, consent, and data security will be crucial in ensuring the responsible and ethical deployment of neurotechnology in healthcare settings.
Looking ahead, the potential applications of brain-chip implants go beyond gaming and computer control, with possibilities for enhancing cognitive function, treating neurological disorders, and even augmenting human intelligence. The future of neural engineering holds exciting possibilities for transforming the way we interact with technology and each other.
In conclusion, the live demonstration of a patient using a Neuralink implant to play online chess marks a significant achievement in the field of brain-computer interface technology. While there is still much work to be done in refining the technology and addressing regulatory concerns, the success of this initial trial offers hope for the future of neurotechnology and its potential to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities.
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