Neuralink faces setback as first human brain implant encounters problem

Neuralink faces setback as first human brain implant encounters problem
09 May 2024

Elon Musk's neurotechnology venture, Neuralink, has experienced a technical setback with its first human brain implant.

The pioneering brain-computer interface (BCI), known as the Link, was implanted into 29-year-old participant Noland Arbaugh earlier this year during a safety trial.

Unfortunately, several weeks after the procedure, some of the ultra-thin threads used to capture neural activity withdrew from Arbaugh's brain.

This issue has reduced the number of functioning electrodes and impeded Neuralink's ability to assess the Link's effectiveness and accuracy.

Arbaugh continues to utilize Neuralink's BCI despite setbacks
Usage

Despite the technical issues, Arbaugh continues to use the BCI system for approximately eight hours daily during weekdays and often up to 10 hours on weekends.

In response to the thread withdrawal problem, Neuralink has made several adjustments. These include modifying the recording algorithm, enhancing the user interface, and refining methods for converting signals into cursor movements.

According to Neuralink, these software improvements have led to "a rapid and sustained improvement that has now superseded Arbaugh's initial performance."

Neuralink's future plans and industry insights on brain implants
Insights

Neuralink is currently focusing on enhancing text input for the device, along with cursor control, and exploring its application to real-world devices like robotic arms and wheelchairs.

Eric Leuthardt, a neurosurgeon at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, highlighted that "one thing engineers and scientists fail to appreciate is how much the brain moves within the intracranial space."

Matt Angle, CEO of competitor Paradromics Inc., noted that thread retraction "is not normal for a brain implant."