Neuralink, Elon Musk’s brain chip startup, recently live-streamed its first patient playing online chess with a chip implanted in their brain.
The patient, 29-year-old Noland Arbaugh, who was paralyzed from the shoulders down due to a diving accident, was able to play chess on his laptop using a Neuralink device to move the cursor.
Earlier this year, Musk revealed that he also received an implant from Neuralink, allowing him to control a computer mouse with his mind.
Arbaugh shared his experience saying, “The surgery was very easy. I was discharged from the hospital the next day without any cognitive impairment.”
Arbaugh also mentioned how he was able to play a game he had given up on, Civilization VI, for eight hours straight thanks to the Neuralink device.
While some experts like Kip Ludwig consider Neuralink’s progress not groundbreaking yet, they acknowledge the positive impact on patients’ ability to connect to computers in ways previously not possible.
Despite some concerns raised by the FDA regarding record-keeping and quality control of animal testing at Neuralink, the company remains focused on advancing brain implant technology.
Source: www.theguardian.com
