Neuralink to Implant Brain Chip in Second Patient

Elon Musk’s startup Neuralink is set to implant a brain chip in a second patient “within the next week or so.” The entrepreneur made this announcement during a live broadcast with the company’s executives.

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— Neuralink (@neuralink) July 10, 2024

The company aims to implant the brain-computer interface (BCI) in “more patients this year.” Neuralink is addressing hardware issues encountered by the first participant in the experiment. 

In January, the company successfully implanted a brain chip in its first volunteer, 29-year-old Noland Arbo. Approximately a month after the operation, some of the device’s neural threads detached from the brain due to its movement during pulsation.

During the live broadcast, Musk and the executives stated that about 15% of the channels in Arbo’s implant are functional. These allow him to watch videos, read, play chess, and engage in other video games. 

Neuralink plans to reduce retraction and measure it more precisely. One method involves sculpting the skull’s surface to minimize the gap beneath the device. 

The company plans to insert some threads deeper into the brain tissue and monitor their movement. They will be integrated “at varying depths,” as it has been found that retraction is possible.

Thanks to the implant, Arbo learned to control a computer with his thoughts.

In May, Neuralink began searching for a second volunteer to test the brain chip.

In March, Musk announced the company’s next product — Blindsight, which will help blind people see.