Elon Musk's brain-chip startup, Neuralink, showcased its first patient, Noland Arbaugh, who is paralyzed below the shoulder, playing online chess and video games using only his thoughts. Arbaugh, a 29-year-old who became paralyzed due to a diving accident, demonstrated his ability to control a cursor on a laptop screen using the Neuralink device implanted in his brain.
During a live stream, Arbaugh moved digital chess pieces on the screen and explained how he navigates the interface using his thoughts. He expressed his excitement and gratitude for being part of the Neuralink study, describing the experience as "pretty cool" and emphasizing the intuitive nature of controlling the cursor.
Neuralink, founded by Musk in 2016, develops brain-chip devices that are surgically implanted in the skull. These devices create a brain-computer interface (BCI), allowing users to control external devices through their thoughts. The recent demonstration marks significant progress for Neuralink, with Musk stating that the first human patient implanted with a brain chip appears to have fully recovered and can control a computer mouse using their thoughts. The company aims to further enhance functionality, including enabling mouse button clicks through the brain-chip interface.
