How Elon Musk-owned Neuralink's fixed 'chip malfunction' in its first human patient's brain

Elon Musk-owned technology startup Neuralink has said that the first human patient who had the chip implanted into a human brain malfunctioned but the company has fixed the issue. Called the Link, the chip is a brain-computer interface (BCI) designed to be surgically implanted into the brain to help paraplegic humans regain control over their body or communication.

How the Neuralink chip ‘malfunctioned’
Noland Arbaugh, a paraplegic, became the first person to get the chip implanted in his brain in January this year.The Link has 64 flexible “threads” that allow Arbaugh to control devices and play video games using his mind. In a blog post sharing the user experience, Neuralink said that some of these threads retracted from Arbaugh’s brain, which resulted in reduction in the amount of data it could receive.

“In response to this change, we modified the recording algorithm to be more sensitive to neural population signals, improved the techniques to translate these signals into cursor movements, and enhanced the user interface,” Neuralink said.

As per the startup, the refinements produced a rapid and sustained improvement, superseding Noland’s initial performance.

100 'successful' days since chip transplant
Neuralink recently announced that it has “passed 100 days since the first participant in our clinical trial received his Neuralink implant.”

Musk also posted on X about the ‘success.’ “Successful 100 days with first human implant of @Neuralink,” he said.

Meanwhile, Arbaugh, who underwent the groundbreaking surgery at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona, said that he has been using the device to control his laptop and engage in digital activities.

“The biggest thing with comfort is that I can lie in my bed and use [the Link]. Any other assistive technology had to have someone else help or have me sit up. Sitting causes stress mentally and on my body, which would give me pressure sores or spasms. It lets me live on my own time, not needing to have someone adjust me, etc., throughout the day,” said Noland Arbaugh.