• News
    • Tech News
    • AI
  • Gadgets
    • Apple
    • iPhone
  • Gaming
    • Playstation
    • Xbox
  • Science
    • News
    • Space
  • Streaming
    • Netflix
  • Vehicles
    • Car News
  • Social Media
    • WhatsApp
    • YouTube
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
TikTok
Snapchat
WhatsApp
Submit Your Content
Neuralink patient says estimated 85% of implant wires are already detached

Home> Science> News

Published 11:43 24 May 2024 GMT+1

Neuralink patient says estimated 85% of implant wires are already detached

This doesn't sound ideal for the brain implant company.

Prudence Wade

Prudence Wade

Featured Image Credit: NewsNation/ Neuralink
Elon Musk
Science
News

Advert

Advert

Advert

Billionaire Elon Musk has made headlines this year about various things, but for much of the year so far a silver lining has been offered up by Neuralink.

The Musk-founded company works on human brain interfaces, implants that basically let you control computers and other devices using your mind alone, and after years of testing, it had its first human trial earlier this year.

Despite concern from observers, things seemed to go well in the early stages, too, with the patient in question suddenly finding himself able to play chess, video games and more as a result of the implant.

Now, though, that volunteer patient, Noland Arbaugh, has told the Wall Street Journal earlier this week that around 85% of the implant threads connecting it to his brain have come loose.

Advert

SOPA Images / Contributor / Getty
SOPA Images / Contributor / Getty

Arbaugh said that his brain has apparently shifted around in his skull by around three times the measure that Neuralink was expecting or hoping for.

This isn't quite as radically bad as it sounds, since our brains do naturally shift around in our skulls a little during normal life.

The Neuralink implant is around the size of a coin, and it has 64 microscopic threads that connect it to the motor cortex in a human brain, with each thread containing 16 electrodes that can translate ideas into actions.

Advert

This means that of the 1024 electrodes in Arbaugh's implant, around 870 of them are no longer working.

But Arbaugh is still upbeat, and told The New York Times: “I just want to bring everyone along this journey with me. I want to show everyone how amazing this is. And it’s just been so rewarding. So I’m really excited to keep going.”

He previously explained he had been paralysed below the shoulders after a diving accident several years ago, and he underwent surgery to have the Neuralink chip implanted in January.

Another small positive has been offered up by the fact that in the early days of the implant, Neuralink was apparently able to successfully implement an over-the-air update for its software, solving some small technical issues and hitches he'd been having.

Advert

Anadolu / Contributor / Getty
Anadolu / Contributor / Getty

That's far from nothing since it means that implants down the line can be updated in the same manner if they run into issues.

All of this still serves to underline what might have been missed during Arbaugh's first celebratory set of updates about his abilities - this is just the first human trial for Neuralink, and we're still a long way off the implant being available to everyone who wants or needs it.

There will doubtless be more patients and tests run in the years to come as the implant is refined and improved, with thousands of people reportedly already having contacted the company to volunteer.

Choose your content:

10 hours ago
a day ago
  • 10 hours ago

    Disturbing simulation shows how much microplastic we consume every week and the result is terrifying

    Paper straws suddenly don't seem so bad

    Science
  • a day ago

    Surgeon claims he's ready to do the world's first ever human head transplant

    The science still has a long way to go

    Science
  • a day ago

    Oldest protein fragments ever recovered from 18,000,000 year-old teeth

    They open up significant new avenues for historical research

    Science
  • a day ago

    People mind-blown after fascinating footage captures rare cloud formation that looks like 'alien invasion'

    Someone call Area 51

    Science
  • First Neuralink patient describes astonishing moment he realized he could control his computer with his thoughts
  • Neuralink patient blown away when Elon Musk drops in for a surprise visit hours before operation
  • World's first non-verbal Neuralink patient speaks out after receiving Elon Musk's brain chip
  • Website compares purchases of someone on an average salary to those of a billionaire and the results are sickening