Elon Musk has just announced that Neuralink has hit a new milestone: they’ve implanted a brain chip into a second person. In a recent podcast with computer scientist Lex Fridman, Musk expressed his enthusiasm for this latest achievement. “I don’t want to jinx it, but it seems to have gone extremely well with the second implant,” Musk said. “There’s a lot of signal, a lot of electrodes. It’s working very well.”
Musk highlighted the monumental next steps for Neuralink, predicting significant advancements in electrode quantity and signal processing. Neuralink’s electrodes, essential for capturing brain signals, relay this information to the implant’s electronics, which then wirelessly transmit the data to a Neuralink Application on an external device like a computer. According to Neuralink’s website, the brain-computer interface is fully implantable, invisible, and designed to seamlessly control computers or mobile devices.
The second implantation was delayed in June after the originally scheduled patient withdrew due to an unspecified medical issue, as reported by Bloomberg and Michael Lawton, CEO of the Barrow Neurological Institute.
The first Neuralink implant was performed earlier this year on quadriplegic Noland Arbaugh. In a Bloomberg interview, Arbaugh, 30, shared how the device has improved his quality of life, enabling him to play video games and chess and browse the internet. Arbaugh, who was adjusting to life after a 2016 diving accident left him with a dislocated spine, described his experience with Neuralink as transformative. “Once you get a taste for using it, you just can’t stop,” Arbaugh said.
However, Arbaugh faced some challenges with the device. He noticed issues with cursor control and was informed that the implant’s threads were becoming dislodged. Initially, the seriousness of the situation was unclear.
Musk confirmed that the second recipient also had a spinal cord injury, and neurosurgeon Matthew MacDougall provided insights into the surgery during Fridman’s podcast. MacDougall described the procedure as “really simple and straightforward.” He explained that the surgery involves making a cut on the top of the head over the brain area responsible for hand movements. This region, known as the “hand knob,” remains active even in quadriplegic patients who can no longer move their fingers.
The surgical process involves opening the scalp, creating a 1-inch diameter hole in the skull, and exposing the brain’s surface. The Neuralink robot then inserts tiny electrodes into the brain cortex, avoiding blood vessels. Once the robot has completed its task, the human surgical team steps back in to place the Neuralink implant into the hole in the skull. They then secure the implant, close the skull with screws, and stitch the skin back together. The entire procedure usually takes a few hours from beginning to end.
MacDougall highlighted that integrating robotics into the process significantly enhances precision and efficiency, making the complex task of electrode insertion more manageable and reliable.
Neuralink’s main objective is to assist individuals unable to speak or write in communicating with others. This is achieved by enabling them to control a virtual mouse or keyboard or send messages using their thoughts alone. For example, an individual with paraplegia could navigate the internet and create digital art using only their mind with the help of speech or text synthesis.
Additionally, Neuralink’s brain-computer interfaces can control prosthetics or exoskeletons, giving individuals with paralysis or amputations a new level of mobility and independence.
There’s also potential for targeted treatment. By monitoring brain activity, these interfaces can detect changes indicating neurological conditions such as epilepsy, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, Alzheimer’s, or Parkinson’s disease.
They can also monitor mental health symptoms, with the capability to deliver electrical stimulation to targeted brain areas to treat burnout, fatigue, anxiety, and depression. The possibilities continue to grow as the company advances into clinical trials.
