The inaugural human beneficiary of a Neuralink brain implant has divulged fresh insights into his recuperation and the transformative impact of the pioneering assistive technology on his life. This technology has significantly enhanced his independence, even enabling him to indulge in marathon gaming sessions of Sid Meier’s Civilization 6.
In January, Neuralink’s co-founder, Elon Musk, announced on X/Twitter that the company had successfully installed its first brain-computer interface in a human subject, who was reportedly recovering well from the procedure. Musk teased that the implant was operational and had registered a “promising neuron spike.” By February, Musk shared that the patient appeared to have fully recovered, showcasing the ability to control a computer cursor merely with his thoughts.
On March 20, Neuralink provided an update via a nine-minute livestream on X, featuring 29-year-old Noland Arbaugh. During the stream, Arbaugh demonstrated his ability to play digital chess using the technology and discussed how this experimental aid had significantly altered his life.
Arbaugh described the experience as akin to wielding ‘the force’ to move the cursor anywhere on the screen by simply focusing his gaze, which he found to be an extraordinary experience. Having become a complete quadriplegic due to a spinal injury from a diving accident eight years prior, Arbaugh expressed his motivation to volunteer for the trial stemmed from a desire to contribute to a project with the potential to revolutionize the world.
Throughout the livestream, viewers observed Arbaugh utilizing the Neuralink brain-computer interface (BCI) to navigate a digital chess game and control music playback. He also shared that the implant had enabled him to engage in extensive gaming sessions of Sid Meier’s Civilization 6, an activity he couldn’t have managed independently before the surgery.
Arbaugh recounted to Neuralink scientist Bliss Chapman one of his initial experiences with full control over the Neuralink technology, which led him to play Civilization 6 until the early hours of the morning. He described the experience as incredible and well worth it.
In a subsequent Neuralink presentation shared on X, Arbaugh revealed that the implant allowed him to play Mario Kart 8: Deluxe using the neural signals decoded by the BCI technology. He was amazed at his ability to consistently secure second place shortly after beginning to use the device, a feat that astounded him and his family.
Moreover, the implant has facilitated Arbaugh’s endeavors to learn French and Japanese, significantly reducing barriers to reading. He emphasized that he experienced no cognitive impairments post-surgery and was discharged from the hospital just a day after the two-hour procedure.
Musk later reiterated his ambitious vision for the technology on X, aiming to eventually redirect signals from the patient’s motor cortex directly to the intended body parts, bypassing damaged spinal sections to restore mobility to those paralyzed. Neuralink has also explored the potential of using implants to stimulate brain regions to aid blind patients in seeing through cameras.
Founded in 2016 by Elon Musk and a team of scientists and engineers, Neuralink aims to develop a brain-computer interface (BCI) that could restore autonomy to individuals with unmet medical needs. The process involves a surgical robot performing an invasive procedure to implant ultra-thin electrode-carrying threads into the brain, which capture neural activity. This data is then transmitted to a Neuralink Application, translating it into actionable commands, such as moving a cursor to a specified location.
Despite its groundbreaking advancements, Neuralink has faced controversy over its treatment of animals in pre-human trials. A report from December 2022 highlighted concerns over the deaths of over 1,500 animals, including monkeys, pigs, and sheep, since 2018, attributed to rushed procedures and avoidable errors. However, Neuralink has consistently emphasized its commitment to ethical and humane animal trials, and a January 2023 inspection by the USDA found no compliance breaches in its animal trials.
In September 2023, Neuralink announced the commencement of its first human clinical trial, the Precise Robotically Implanted Brain-Computer Interface (PRIME) study, with Noland Arbaugh revealed as the first participant earlier this month.