Elon Musk’s brain implant company, Neuralink, has revealed new results from their first-ever human trials. We know that Neuralink’s first human test subject has already accomplished something never seen before in the world of brain-computer interface. However, the company has also encountered at least one unexpected problem that needs to be overcome.
A Landmark Achievement
It’s been just over 100 days since Noland Arbaugh became the first human being to be implanted with a Neuralink brain chip. The surgical procedure was conducted at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona, the world’s largest treatment and research hospital for neurological diseases. In those 100 days, Noland has already accomplished some unprecedented feats.
During his first research session with Neuralink, Noland set a new world record for human BCI cursor control. That was day one. During weekdays, Noland spends up to 8 hours a day contributing to Neuralink research sessions. On weekends, his personal and recreational use of the implants can exceed 10 hours per day, reaching up to 69 hours per week of brain-computer interface with the N1 chip.
Setting Records
The standard for measuring speed and accuracy of cursor control is bits per second (BPS), and that’s what Neuralink calculates during these grid tests, where you see the cursor moving around and clicking on different boxes. On day one, Noland set a new world record of 4.6 BPS. Three months later, Noland is already achieving 8 BPS and is quickly approaching the same speed and accuracy of an able-bodied person using a mouse with their hand, which is 10 BPS.
Neuralink’s telepathy software can distinguish between left and right clicks and allows for cursor movement precise enough to click on the smallest icons and buttons of a laptop screen. The real-world result of this technology is that Noland can use his thoughts alone to complete tasks that previously required his mouth stick, a stick he holds in his mouth to interact with a device. After 8 years of living with full body paralysis, Noland had become very proficient with using this physical control in his daily life.
Improved Quality of Life
Noland told Neuralink, “I thought that the mouth stick was a lot better than BCI a month ago. When we compared them, I saw that BCI was just as good, if not better, and it’s still improving. The games I can play now are leaps and bounds better than previous ones. I’m beating my friends in games that, as a quadriplegic, I should not be beating them in.”
Not only can Noland now play simple computer games like chess and Civilization 6, but he has also been able to use the N1 to play Mario Kart on a Nintendo Switch console. This is more than expected at this early stage in the game. It’s important to remember that the aim of the initial Prime study is not about setting world records or beating human capabilities. The primary goal is to demonstrate that the Link device is safe and useful in daily life. Neuralink monitors the technical performance of the device to measure the benefit it provides to Noland and his quality of life, which so far appears overwhelmingly positive.
Noland told Neuralink, “Y’all are giving me too much. It’s like a luxury overload. I haven’t been able to do these things in 8 years, and now I don’t know where to even start allocating my attention.”
Facing Challenges
This first-of-its-kind medical procedure was expected to encounter some issues, and Neuralink is no exception. There’s been at least one problem with the device during Noland’s testing. In the weeks following the surgery, several electrode threads implanted into Noland’s brain tissue started to retract, cutting off some communication between the brain and the implant.
During the surgical procedure, Neuralink’s R1 robot inserted 64 threads into the outer layer of the brain, the cerebral cortex, specifically targeting the motor cortex region. Each thread, thinner than a human hair, carries 16 electrode sensors, giving the Link device over 1,000 connection points into Noland’s brain’s neural network. The electrodes detect bioelectric pulses from neuron activation within the cortex layer, and the Link device uses these signals to create a digital representation of brain activity transmitted via Bluetooth to a nearby computer device.
Adapting and Overcoming
When the threads retracted from the brain, it decreased the number of electrode interfaces between the Link implant and the motor cortex. Losing one thread would mean a 1.5% reduction in electrode count; losing three would be nearly a 5% reduction in brain connection. This impacted Noland’s BCI performance, which dropped from 8 BPS to as low as 3 BPS by mid-March. However, the performance quickly recovered to 6 BPS around the time Neuralink released the first live stream featuring Noland playing chess with his mind.
Neuralink honed the algorithm to make better use of the limited data from the brain, allowing Noland to return to his original performance of 8 BPS. Noland acknowledged this at a Neuralink company meeting, saying, “Sure, we’re still working out the kinks and stuff, but once we get this figured out, there’s no reason for the implant not to be out there.”
Moving Forward
According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, Neuralink believes some air was trapped inside Noland’s skull after the surgery, a condition called pneumocephalus. While mild cases can be relatively harmless and are often resolved by the body reabsorbing the air, it impacts the potential of Noland’s current Neuralink implant. If the threads have retracted from the brain tissue, there’s no easy way to put them back in. Neuralink has considered removing Noland’s implant, but this doesn’t seem likely anytime soon. The Link device is intended to be removable and upgradable over time.
Unnamed sources within Neuralink remain optimistic that the problem can be resolved and future implants will capture more data and offer greater capabilities for human patients. Neuralink has reported to the Food and Drug Administration that it has fixes for the problem encountered with Noland’s implant. The company plans for two more human implant procedures in the coming months, which will proceed once a safety review of Noland’s implant is completed. Neuralink aims to implant 10 people this year, increasing to another 27 in 2025 and 79 in 2026.
In 2021, Neuralink performed 155 surgeries on sheep, pigs, and monkeys. In 2022, that number grew to 294 total surgeries. The first human trial is expected to take up to 6 years for Neuralink to complete and verify their findings. The primary study period will be over the first 18 months after the device has been implanted, with patients checking in with a medical team every 2 months to monitor progress and ensure the Neuralink device continues to work as intended.
In the meantime, follow Noland on X at @moddedquad for live stream demonstrations of his Neuralink abilities. It’s fascinating to watch this progress in real-time.
