Neuralink first in-human brain implant: The neurotechnology business Neuralink Corporation creates brain-machine interfaces that are implantable. This company has recently created a brain-computer interface or BCI, which can help patients suffering from paralysis in their difficult lives by controlling external technologies with their brain.
In January, Elon Musk’s startup Neuralink implanted the chip device in a 29-year-old patient named Noland Arbaugh to test its safety. Noland Arbaugh, a man with four legs, was able to play online games using his brain. Also, this Neuralink transplant allows the patient to use his thoughts to control the computer. It should be noted that there are other companies that also manufacture BCI systems and have been experimenting with the technology in educational settings for many years than Neuralink.
Elon Musk’s startup Neuralink said Wednesday that a part of its brain transplant failed after implanting the system in a human patient for the first time in the weeks following its first human procedure. According to the company’s website, its system connection records nerve signals using 1,024 electrodes arranged in 64 “threads” that are as thin as a human hair.
According to the same blog post, Arbaugh shared that the link is like a “luxury overload” and has helped him “reconnect with the world” in his otherwise hectic life. The company streamed a live video with Arbaugh as he used the BCI in March, and an April blog post by Neuralink said the surgery went “extremely well.”
But company said in a blog post on Wednesday that it had experienced some problems a few weeks after the surgery, which has reduced the data it can get from the device. According to the blog post, the company said some threads were removed from Arbaugh’s brain tissue. This meant it had less effective electrodes, which hindered the company’s ability to measure link speed and accuracy. Noland Arbaugh, who had Neuralink’s brain transplant in January of this year, reported the issue with it.
According to the report, Company shared its blog post after The Wall Street Journal asked the company about the issue. As a workaround, company changed the recording algorithm, enhanced the user interface as well as worked to improve techniques for translating signals into cursor movements, the blog post said.
Neuralink reportedly considered removing the implant, but the problem did not pose any direct threat to Arbaugh’s safety, according to the Journal. However, Neuralink said Arbaugh has been using the company’s BCI system about eight hours per day during the week and often 10 hours per day on weekends.
