According to the startup’s owner, Elon Musk, Neuralink successfully implanted the brain chip they designed on their second patient.
The device was created to help paralyzed patients gain the ability to use digital devices by thinking alone. It has allowed its first patient to play video games, browse on the net, post on social media, and control a cursor on a laptop.
On Friday, Musk gave details on a podcast about the second participant who had a spinal cord injury. He also shared the first one’s similar situation, who was left paralyzed in a driving accident.
The Neuralink owner added that 400 of the chip’s electrodes on the second patient’s brain are functioning. Based on its website, the implant uses 1,024 electrodes.
Moreover, he claimed in the podcast that the second device works exceptionally well. However, he did not disclose when the startup performed the patient’s surgery.
Neuralink aims to provide brain chips to eight more patients this year for clinical trials.
Meanwhile, Noland Arbaugh, the first patient who was also interviewed in the podcast with three company executives, explained how robot-led surgery works. He said that with the device’s help, he obtained a sense of independence, reducing reliance on his caregivers.
Musk Says Neuralink Can Give People Super Abilities
During an episode of the Lex Fridman podcast, Elon Musk reported that Neuralink’s second human trial was successful. He added that beyond enabling humans to run simple computer interfaces with their thoughts, the company can give them exceptional abilities.
According to the billionaire, they could provide humans with thermal visions, restore blindness, and develop other super abilities. They could also cure numerous diseases and heal other neurological disorders.
On the other hand, Musk suggested that humans can potentially integrate with artificial intelligence systems to expand their brains’ capabilities in the future.
