Neuralink’s human brain chips
Neuralink, Elon Musk’s brain technology startup, announced on Wednesday that it encountered an issue with its initial human brain implant shortly after it was placed in a patient.
Following the surgery in January, the company stated in a blog post that some of the implant’s connecting threads withdrew from the brain over the subsequent weeks, resulting in a decline in the signals captured by the device.
While Neuralink provided limited details on the problem and didn’t specify the cause of the thread retraction, it mentioned enhancing an algorithm to better detect and interpret neural signals, thereby improving the patient’s brain signal detection and translation.
Noland Arbaugh, 29, Neuralink’s first human patient, experienced a loss of movement and sensation in his limbs following a diving accident in 2016. The N1 device, roughly the size of a quarter, is designed to be fully implanted onto the skull, connecting to the brain’s motor cortex via 64 ultra-thin threads equipped with small electrodes to capture neural signals.
It remains unclear whether the retracted threads posed any safety risks for Arbaugh. In a livestream held in March, Arbaugh demonstrated moving a cursor on a laptop screen and playing online chess solely using his thoughts. Additional videos released by Neuralink showcased Arbaugh playing the racing game Mario Kart using the brain chip.
Elon Musk’s Neuralink encountered a setback when threads retracted from its first human brain implant, reducing signal capture, the company revealed. While details on the issue are scarce, Neuralink adjusted an algorithm to improve signal detection.
The patient, Noland Arbaugh, experienced complete limb paralysis after a 2016 accident. The N1 device, implanted on the skull, connects to the brain’s motor cortex via ultra-thin threads with electrodes.
Safety concerns arose after co-founder Dr. Benjamin Rapoport left, citing safety as paramount. Neuralink faced controversies, including allegations of animal mistreatment. Despite this, it received FDA approval for its first human clinical study, aiming to enable device control through thought.
