We have Neuralink published an update on the second patient in the first human trials, and he said it was “promising” that he “didn’t observe any thread retraction” in the participant. A startup led by Elon Musk is implanting a chip in the human brain that allows paralyzed patients to control devices, browse the Internet and play video games with their thoughts. He implanted a chip in it the first patient In January and while the procedure was going well, the connecting threads of some implants withdrew from the brain weeks later. This reduces the brain signals that the device can pick up.
For its second patient, Alex, the company took mitigation measures to prevent or at least reduce the likelihood of the same thing happening. He said it reduced brain movement during surgery and also reduced the space between the implant and the surface of the brain. The company has not observed any thread retraction in the patient so far. As for his first patient, he tweaked the algorithm to improve how his implant detected and translated signals after being observed. The first patient’s threads were reported to have stabilized and her implant has since been restored.
A few weeks after his surgery in July, Alex was able to use computer-aided design (CAD) software to design a custom assembly for the Neuralink charger. The mount was 3D printed and he has since added it to his installation. He was also able to use his implant in conjunction with a mouth-controlled joystick to play Counter-Strike 2 more effective as he can now move and aim at the same time.
Neuralink says it’s working on making its chip capable of decoding multiple clicks and movements to “provide full mouse and video game controller functionality.” It is also developing algorithms that can recognize the user’s handwriting intent, which will allow for faster text input. This will allow people who cannot speak, such as ALS patients, to communicate more easily with others. Eventually, the company apparently plans to give its implants the ability to interact with the real world, so that people can use it to move their wheelchairs or robotic hands to feed or clean themselves.
