Elon Musk announced that Neuralink plans to implant its brain-computer interface device into a second human volunteer within the next week. The company aims to have devices in “the high single digits” of patients by the end of the year. Neuralink is changing the surgical procedure and placement of the device to avoid issues that arose with its first participant, Noland Arbaugh.
A few weeks after Arbaugh’s surgery in January, the implant started to malfunction, and he lost control of the computer cursor he was using with his mind. The company reported that several electrode threads had retracted from Arbaugh’s brain, decreasing the number of effective electrodes. Currently, only 15 percent of the implant’s threads are still working.
Neuralink executives acknowledged that air was trapped inside Arbaugh’s skull after surgery, which could have contributed to the threads’ coming out. In future surgeries, the company plans to eliminate this air pocket, insert the threads deeper into the brain tissue, and track their movement.
Neuralink’s second trial improvements
The company also plans to “sculpt the surface of the skull” to minimize the gap under the implant so that it sits flush with the normal contour of the skull. This should bring the implant closer to the brain and reduce tension on the threads. Musk said Neuralink’s long-term goal is to mitigate the risks posed by AI and create a closer connection between human and digital intelligence.
“The idea is to give people superpowers,” he said. The team also discussed future generations of the device. Musk noted that patients with older models should be able to upgrade to newer ones, comparing the evolution of the device to that of iPhones.
Neuralink’s advancements in brain-computer interface technology have the potential to revolutionize treatment for debilitating conditions and enhance human cognitive abilities. However, the company still needs to improve the safety and effectiveness of its device before it can be widely used.
