Techno

Neuralink Successfully Implants Device in Second Patient

Lamseen – Neuralink, owned by Elon Musk, has recently achieved a milestone by successfully implanting its device in a second patient. This device is designed to enable individuals with paralysis to control digital devices through thought alone. Neuralink is currently in the testing phase of this technology, which aims to assist those with spinal cord injuries. The first patient to receive the device has been able to play video games, browse the internet, post on social media, and control a cursor on a laptop.

During a podcast released late Friday and lasting over eight hours, Musk provided limited information about the second participant. Mentioning only that the individual had a spinal cord injury similar to the first patient, who was paralyzed in a diving accident. Musk noted that 400 of the device’s electrodes in the second patient’s brain are functioning. According to Neuralink’s website, the implant uses a total of 1,024 electrodes.

“I don’t want to jinx it, but it seems to have gone extremely well with the second implant,” Musk told podcast host Lex Fridman. “There’s a lot of signal, a lot of electrodes. It’s working very well.”

Elon Musk Reveals Progress on Neuralink’s Implant Testing

Musk did not specify when Neuralink performed the surgery on the second patient. He mentioned that Neuralink plans to provide implants to eight more patients this year as part of its clinical trials.

The first patient, Noland Arbaugh, was also featured in the podcast, alongside three Neuralink executives, who shared details about how the implant and the robot-assisted surgery operate.

Before receiving his implant in January, Arbaugh used a stick held in his mouth to interact with a tablet computer. With the new implant, he can now simply think about the actions he wants to perform on the computer screen, and the device executes them. Arbaugh noted that the implant has granted him a degree of independence and reduced his reliance on caregivers.

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Arbaugh’s Implant Issues and Neuralink Solutions

Initially, Arbaugh faced issues post-surgery when the tiny wires of his implant retracted. Causing a significant decrease in the number of electrodes that could detect brain signals. Reuters reported that Neuralink was aware of this problem from its animal trials.

Neuralink has stated that it has restored the implant’s ability to monitor Arbaugh’s brain signals by making adjustments,. Including modifying its algorithm to enhance sensitivity. Arbaugh has now surpassed his previous world record for cursor control speed with only about 10 to 15% of the electrodes operational, Musk mentioned in the podcast.

Additionally, Musk revealed that he has discussed with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Whom he supports in the U.S. presidential race, the formation of a commission aimed at improving “government efficiency” through reduced business regulation, and he expressed his willingness to participate. Musk believes that U.S. regulations impede innovation.

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