Neuralink has successfully implanted a chip in the brain of a second patient in an attempt to give paralyzed people the ability to use digital devices with the power of the mind, the startup’s owner Elon Musk said.
A second patient received a Neuralink implant PHOTO Archive
Neuralink has started a new test of the device, which aims to help people with spinal cord injuries. The device has already allowed the first patient to play video games, surf the Internet, post on social networks and move the mouse cursor on a laptop, Reuters reports.
Elon Musk provided some details about the second patient, noting that he suffered a spinal cord injury similar to the first patient.
Musk said 400 of the implant’s electrodes in the second patient’s brain were working. Neuralink states on its website that its implant uses 1,024 electrodes.
The businessman did not reveal when the surgery was performed, but said Neuralink is expected to perform implants on eight more people this year as part of clinical trials.
The first patient, Noland Arbaugh, said in turn that the implant helped him use a computer. He said the device gave him some independence.
Arbaugh initially ran into problems after the surgery, when the tiny wires in his implant retracted, resulting in a sharp reduction in the electrodes that could measure brain signals. Reuters reported that Neuralink was aware of this problem from its animal studies.
Musk also said he had spoken with Republican candidate Donald Trump, whom he supported in the US presidential race, about forming a commission to improve “government efficiency” by reducing regulations in the business environment. In his view, US regulations are stifling innovation.
