Watch: First human Neuralink patient plays chess using his thoughts
Elon Musk's venture Neuralink has showcased the potential of its brain-computer interface (BCI) in a live stream featuring Nolan Arbaugh, the first human patient to receive the company's brain implant. After undergoing brain implant surgery as part of Neuralink's inaugural clinical trial, the 29-year-old quadriplegic mastered the art of controlling an on-screen cursor using his thoughts. The video shows him playing chess. He distinguished between "imagined movement versus attempted movement," eventually finding it instinctive to visualize the cursor's motion.
Gaming experience enhanced by Neuralink implant
Arbaugh demonstrated the BCI's prowess in the video clip, maneuvering a cursor across a laptop screen and pausing an on-screen music player, all by using his thoughts. The implant has empowered him to engage in games like chess and Civilization VI, which were previously challenging due to his paralysis. He highlighted that the implant facilitates extended gaming sessions and online play, offering approximately eight hours of usage before requiring recharging.
How Neuralink's brain implant works
First, a robot performs a surgery to place the BCI implant in the brain area governing movement impulses. The chip then records neural activity and signals, transmitting them wirelessly (over Bluetooth) to the Neuralink decoder app. The app uses AI to translate neural signals into actions and intents. By decoding the instructions and converting neural impulses into on-screen actions, the system translates the user's thoughts into tangible outputs. The implant's tiny battery that charges wirelessly using a compact, inductive charger.
Patient testimony and expert caution
Arbaugh characterized the implant procedure as "super easy" and was discharged from the hospital within 24 hours without any cognitive deficits. He conceded that while the technology is "not perfect" and has had some glitches, it has markedly enhanced his quality of life. Despite the initial hiccups with the implant, Arbaugh expressed that his overall experience has been positive and life-altering.