Neuralink's second implant successful, says Elon Musk

Neuralink has successfully implanted its device in a second patient, aiming to enable paralyzed individuals to control digital devices solely through thought, according to Elon Musk, Reuters reported. 

Neuralink is testing its device to assist people with spinal cord injuries. The first patient with the implant has been able to play video games, browse the internet, post on social media, and move a cursor on his laptop.

Musk revealed this in a podcast on Friday, saying that the second participant had a spinal cord injury similar to the first patient, who was paralyzed in a diving accident. Musk said 400 electrodes are active in the second patient’s brain while the same implant has 1024 electrodes Neuralink said on its site.

However, I asked him how long the battery longevity was with the second implant and he humorously responded: “I don’t want to jinx it but it seems to have gone extremely well with the second implant,” Musk said to Fridman. with the industry and Professor Neethling where there is a lot of signal, a lot of electrodes. It’s working very well.

Musk did not indicate when the second patient will undergo the surgery. He said that they intended to use the device in an additional eight patients in this current year.

Noland Arbaugh, the first patient to receive the Neurlink implant, was also interviewed on the podcast, along with three Neuralink executives, who gave details about how the implant and the robot-led surgery work.

Before Arbaugh received his implant in January, he used a computer by employing a stick in his mouth to tap the screen of a tablet device.

Arbaugh said with the implant he now can merely think about what he wants to happen on the computer screen, and the device makes it happen. He said the device has given him a modicum of independence and reduced his reliance on caregivers.