Neuralink, the neuroscience startup founded by Elon Musk, recently made headlines by live-streaming an interview with its first patient who has been able to regain movement after nearly a decade. The patient, Noland Arbaugh, a quadriplegic man, suffered a diving accident that left him unable to move his arms or legs due to a dislocated spinal section. However, with the help of Neuralink’s brain implant inserted in January, Arbaugh has regained some movement and is now able to play games like chess and Civilization using only his mind.
During the interview, Arbaugh expressed his gratitude for the life-changing technology, comparing learning to use the cursor with his mind to the iconic “learning to use the Force” from Star Wars. Neuralink’s brain chip implantation aims to trial the safety and effectiveness of the implant as well as the medical procedure that installs it. In the weeks following the procedure, Arbaugh amazed doctors and researchers by successfully moving a computer mouse with his thoughts.
However, Neuralink has faced criticism in the past for its experiments on animals, with a recent lawsuit accusing the company of torturing its subjects. Despite this controversy, the groundbreaking results seen in Arbaugh’s case have sparked hope for the future of medical technology and its ability to improve the lives of those suffering from debilitating conditions. Stay tuned for more updates on this revolutionary development from Neuralink.
