Neuralink CEO Elon Musk has unveiled plans to conduct testing of the company’s latest brain implant and interface on a second patient in the upcoming week. The surgery for the undisclosed patient is set to occur within the next week, following a postponement of the schedule for the second participant due to health complications prior to the intended surgery in late June.
In a recent live stream on Twitter/X, Neuralink executive Dongjin “DJ” Seo disclosed that the wires linking the first Neuralink patient’s brain to the implant in his skull have achieved stability after previously detaching several months ago. This update follows the company’s previous announcement that a number of wires in the first patient’s implant had become detached, leading to decreased functionality. The implant, which utilizes 64 wires to connect to the brain, had only 15% of its wires operational following the detachment.
Neuralink intends to implement new risk mitigation measures for future patients, such as skull sculpting and reducing the carbon dioxide concentration in the blood, to prevent similar detachment issues experienced by the first patient. According to Matthew MacDougall, Neuralink’s head of neurosurgery, the company plans to purposefully sculpt the surface of the skull to minimize gaps under the implant and lessen tension on the threads in upcoming implants.
At present, the sole recipient of the implant is Noland Arbaugh, who was paralyzed from the shoulders down after a diving accident in 2016. Neuralink, established by Musk, aspires to have participants in high single digits this year. The company’s implant is undergoing testing to grant paralyzed patients the capacity to operate digital devices through brain signals exclusively. The device functions by capturing brain signals through tiny wires and translating them into actions. Neuralink has even released a video demonstrating Arbaugh utilizing his implant to play online chess and manipulate a computer mouse.
Musk clarified during the live stream that the device does not cause harm to the brain. The US Food and Drug Administration had initially expressed safety concerns but ultimately granted the company approval to commence human trials last year.
In addition to its current implant, Neuralink is also developing a new device that will necessitate fewer electrodes to be implanted in the brain, enhancing efficiency and power. Musk revealed that the company is also working on a product called Blindsight, which seeks to restore vision to the blind.
The progress achieved by Neuralink in testing its brain implant represents a significant stride towards granting paralyzed individuals a newfound sense of independence and control over digital devices. With ongoing advancements and successful human trials, the future appears promising for individuals who have endured loss of mobility.