29-year-old quadriplegic Noland Arbaugh has made history by becoming the first human to receive a Neuralink implant, a device developed by Elon Musk’s company that allows users to control digital devices with their minds.
Arbaugh, who was paralyzed from the neck down following a motorcycle accident, can now play games like Slay the Spire and Old School RuneScape by using the Neuralink implant to translate his neural signals. Before the surgery, he had to rely on a mouth stick to interact with the digital world.
However, Arbaugh recently experienced a setback when a number of electrode-bearing threads from the implant retracted from his brain, causing a temporary drop in performance. Despite this, Arbaugh has used the brain-computer interface (BCI) for a total of 69 hours in a single week, with 34 hours dedicated to recreational activities.
In fact, Arbaugh has set a new world record for human BCI cursor control with a score of 8.0 bits-per-second. The withdrawal of threads from his brain prompted Neuralink scientists to adjust the algorithm for collecting and translating neural data to improve performance.
Neuralink is also working on combatting ‘cursor drift’ and developing a ‘bias correction’ system to enhance cursor control for Arbaugh. Additionally, the company aims to add new functionality to allow users to control physical external aides like robotic arms and wheelchairs using the implant.
Despite the challenges, Arbaugh remains optimistic about the potential of the Neuralink implant to improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities. The groundbreaking technology is paving the way for exciting advancements in the field of brain-computer interfaces.
“Infuriatingly humble tv expert. Friendly student. Travel fanatic. Bacon fan. Unable to type with boxing gloves on.”