Neuralink says it may have solved its brain implant problem

Neuralink has posted an update In January, it implanted a chip in its first patient, and while the procedure went well, some of the implants' connective threads broke. The startup led by Elon Musk implants a chip in the human brain, allowing paralyzed patients to control devices, browse the Internet and play video games with their thoughts. retracted of the brain weeks later. That reduced the brain signals the device could receive.

In the case of its second patient, named Alex, the company employed mitigation measures to prevent the same thing from happening, or at least reduce its likelihood. It said it reduced brain movement during surgery and also narrowed the gap between the implant and the brain surface. The company has not observed any retraction of the threads in the patient — so far. As for its first patient, it tweaked an algorithm to improve how its implant detects and translates signals after it was observed. It said the first patient’s threads have stabilized and his implant has since recovered.

Weeks after his surgery in July, Alex has already been able to use computer-aided design (CAD) software to design a custom stand for his Neuralink charger. The stand was 3D printed and he has since added it to his setup. He has also been able to use his implant in conjunction with a mouth-operated joystick to play games. Counterattack 2 more effectively, because you can now move and aim at the same time.

Neuralink says it's now working on making its chip capable of decoding multiple clicks and gestures to “deliver the full functionality of a mouse and video game controller.” It's also developing algorithms that can recognize a user's intent to write by hand, which would allow for faster text input. That would allow people who can't speak, such as those with ALS, to communicate with others more easily. Finally, the company apparently plans to give its implants the ability to interact with the real world, so people could use them to move their own wheelchair or a robotic hand to feed or groom themselves.