The first patient with a Neuralink implant in his head recently reported no side effects from the device, either physical or psychological. The probes have been in his head for about a year, which is enough for the first serious assessment of this neural platform. Practice has shown that Neuralink helps people with limb paralysis gain independence in working with a computer and start communicating on social networks.
Image source: Neuralink
Noland Arbaugh, who is unable to move his arms and legs, shared his well-being on the social network X. In particular, he noted that since the installation of the Neuralink implant, there have been “no negative side effects, neither physical nor psychological, except for an insatiable desire to get the female end of the plug” – a joke about connecting the implant to an external platform. Apparently, the Neuralink implant has a male connector, and the “female” is connected by relatives or specialists.
The main problem with Neuralink is that the thin probe needles embedded in the brain tissue can gradually shift due to the mobility of the neural tissue inside the skull. Some of the probes can become dislodged or significantly displaced within a few hours after surgery. This requires constant calibration of the neural implant. In the first patient (Arbo), 85% of the probes moved out of the installation area, so he regularly works with the Neuralink team to improve and simplify the inevitable calibration process.
Update 3/28 (14 months)
It’s been a few months since my last update, and I’m sorry for that. I was really excited to give my one year update, but unfortunately I was hacked that very day (and again the following week) due to my own idiocy. Those experiences left me with a bad… pic.twitter.com/uRXPEhIjSK
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Nevertheless, a year of daily use of the implant has shown its high level of reliability and safety. With its help, the patient was able to abandon the joystick, which he controlled with his mouth, and began to move the cursor solely with the power of thought, mastering racing and strategy games, including the legendary “Civilization”. According to him, he could even control his wheelchair with his mind and constantly asks the Neuralink team for a robotic hand for everyday activities. For now, this remains in the plans, but Neuralink is open to improvements and strives to expand the number of users so that the implant becomes a familiar part of life.