Elon Musk claims the first person to have a Neuralink implant has recovered from the operation — and is already using the system to control a mouse cursor.
Musk’s comments came during a discussion on X Spaces.
“Progress is good. Patient seems to have made a full recovery with no ill effects that we’re aware of, and is able to control the mouse, move the mouse around the screen, just by thinking,” the X owner and Neuralink co-founder said.
“We’re trying to get as many button presses as possible from thinking. That’s what we’re currently working on — can we get left mouse, right mouse, mouse down and up… which is needed if you want to click and drag something.”
The audio from the conversation has been reposted numerous times on X, including by the account DogeDesigner.
Neuralink monitors patterns in brain activity, which can then be translated into computer inputs.
"The first human Neuralink patient seems to have made a full recovery with no ill effects and is able to control the mouse around the screen just by thinking."
— DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) February 20, 2024
— Elon Musk pic.twitter.com/0E8qFyLehO
In its call for applicants for the initial trials, posted in September 2023, the company asked for those with quadriplegia or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to apply. At present, Neuralink’s primary goal is to open up possibilities for people with severe forms of disability.
The first human trial of Neuralink began at the end of January 2024, after the company received clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration in May 2023.
Installation of a Neuralink involves the use of a robot arm, which places the neural lace of the system on the surface of the brain after cutting a hole in the skull.
NEWS: Elon Musk announced tonight that the first human implanted with @Neuralink’s brain chip has made a full recovery.
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) February 20, 2024
The patient is able to control a mouse using only their thoughts. Incredible achievement!pic.twitter.com/ImrSkxT0h7
This is connected to an outer housing that contains, for example, the wireless transmitter and battery to power the device.
It is an example of a brain-computer interface, which has been in development since the late 1960s.
However, Neuralink is not only notable as a particularly attention-grabbing example of the technology in development. Its N1 implant also has an unusually high number of electrodes, 1024 of them across the 64 threads that monitor brain activity. This may allow for the recognition of more specific and complex brain patterns, which effectively become commands made consciously by the user.
