Neuralink implants second trial patient with brain chip, Elon Musk says: ‘Seems to have gone extremely well’
Elon Musk gave details about the second patient saying that the person had a spinal cord injury similar to the first patient.
Neuralink has successfully implanted its device in a second patient, Elon Musk informed. The device is designed to give paralyzed patients the ability to use digital devices by thinking alone, he said. This comes as the company is in the process of testing its device intended to help people with spinal cord injuries. The company has said that the device has allowed Neuralink's first patient to play video games, browse internet, post on social media and move a cursor on his laptop.
Read more: Neuralink’s first human patient Noland Arbaugh told parents he could become handicapped: ‘Didn’t want them to…'
What Elon Musk said on Neuralink's second patient?
Elon Musk gave details about the second patient saying that the person had a spinal cord injury similar to the first patient. The patient was paralyzed in a diving accident and Elon Musk said that 400 of the implant’s electrodes on the second patient’s brain are working. Neuralink on its website said that its implant uses 1,024 electrodes.
He said, "I don’t want to jinx it but it seems to have gone extremely well with the second implant. There’s a lot of signal, a lot of electrodes. It’s working very well.“
Read more: Neuralink’s first human patient Noland Arbaugh says his brain chip can be hacked: ‘It is what it is’
Moreover, Elon Musk said he expects Neuralink to provide the implants to eight more patients in 2024 as part of its clinical trials.
What about Neuralink's first patient?
Neuralink's first patient, Noland Arbaugh received his implant in January. He shared that owing to the implant he now can merely think about what he wants to happen on the computer screen and the device makes it happen. He said the device has given him independence and reduced his reliance on caregivers. Initially, Noland Arbaugh faced issues after his surgery when the tiny wires of his implant retracted and resulted in a sharp reduction in the electrodes that could measure brain signals.
Read more: Elon Musk says second Neuralink brain implant ‘to give people superpowers’ in a week
Neuralink said it restored the implant’s ability to monitor Noland Arbaugh’s brain signals by making changes that included modifying its algorithm. Elon Musk said that Noland Arbaugh has improved on his previous world record for the speed at which he can control a cursor with thoughts alone “with only roughly 10, 15% of the electrodes working."