Elon Musk's brain-computer interface company, Neuralink, announced Wednesday that the tiny wires in the brain chip implanted in its first trial participant are now stable.
Elon Musk's Neuralink Reports Stable Tiny Wires in the Brain Chip
According to Reuters, the company had previously reported that some wires had moved out of position. Dongjin "D.J." Seo, a Neuralink executive, explained that after the initial brain surgery, it takes time for the tissues to anchor the threads in place. Once anchored, the wires have remained stable.
Noland Arbaugh, who is paralyzed from the shoulders down due to a 2016 diving accident, is the first patient to receive the implant. Elon Musk hopes to have more participants joining the trial by the end of the year.
Measures of Neuralink to Mitigate Risks
Neuralink is implementing new measures to mitigate risks, such as skull sculpting and maintaining normal carbon dioxide levels in the blood.
Matthew MacDougall, Neuralink's head of neurosurgery, noted that sculpting the skull's surface minimizes gaps under the implant, reducing tension on the threads.
Neuralink's implant aims to enable paralyzed patients to control digital devices through thought. The device captures brain signals with tiny wires and translates them into actions like moving a cursor.
Join the Conversation