Neuralink’s First Human Patient Experiences A Problem

Recently, we reported that Elon Musk’s neurotechnology company, Neuralink Corp., was granted permission to test out and study its fully implantable, wireless brain-computer interface (BCI) chip on a human participant.

The wireless device is part of a research experiment dubbed the PRIME Study, through which Neuralink aims to “demonstrate that the Link is safe and useful in daily life.”

The company’s first human trial included Noland Arbaugh, a quadriplegic man, who, like most with quadriplegia, find it difficult to seamlessly engage with the digital world, leading to increased dependence, isolation and financial challenges.

As per Neuralink, “Our goal is to provide a high-performance interface that will enhance the control of digital devices for people with quadriplegia, unlocking their personal and professional potential.”

Now, Neuralink has come out with an update on its first participant, study and Link chip.

So, what did the company reveal about the study? Let’s explore!
 

What Updates Did Neuralink Provide?

 

• Through a blog post published on its website, Neuralink provided updates on its study of the first human participant, Noland Arbaugh, to have its BCI chip implanted.

• As per the company, before he got the Link, Arbaugh used a mouth-held tablet stylus (mouth stick) as his primary digital interface.

• The stylus had to be placed by a caregiver and could only be used in an upright position, which could lead to discomfort, muscle fatigue and pressure sores while preventing normal speech.

• In the weeks following his surgery, Arbaugh was able to use his laptop from various positions, including lying down and could play online computer games with his friends, browse the internet, access applications, live stream and more by controlling the cursor with his mind.

• He could even play on a Nintendo Switch console, which was something he couldn’t do since his spinal cord injury.

• Arbaugh spends 8 hours per day on weekdays contributing to the research sessions, while weekends can exceed 10 hours and includes personal use and recreation.

• One week even included a total of 69 hours, where 35 hours consisted of structured sessions and 34 hours of personal use.

 

• As per the blog post, “During his first-ever research session, Noland set a new world record for human BCI cursor control of 4.6 BPS. He has subsequently achieved 8 BPS and is currently trying to beat scores of the Neuralink engineers using a mouse (~10 BPS).”

• However, over time, some of the device’s threads retracted from the brain, which resulted in a net decrease in the number of effective electrodes, which led to reduction in BPS.

• Responding to the setback, Neuralink “modified the recording algorithm to be more sensitive to neural population signals, improved the techniques to translate these signals into cursor movements and enhanced the user interface.”

• The move resulted in a rapid and sustained improvement in BPS, which superseded Arbaugh’s initial performance.

• Now, the company is focusing on matching cursor control to the same level as able-bodied individuals, while the extended plan is to enable control of robotic arms, wheelchairs and other technologies.

 

What Did Noland Arbaugh Say?

 

• As per the blog post, Noland Arbaugh, the PRIME Study participant, said, “The biggest thing with comfort is that I can lie in my bed and use [the Link].

• “Any other assistive technology had to have someone else help or have me sit up. Sitting causes stress mentally and on my body which would give me pressure sores or spasms. It lets me live on my own time, not needing to have someone adjust me, etc. throughout the day.”

• “[The Link] has helped me reconnect with the world, my friends, and my family. It's given me the ability to do things on my own again without needing my family at all hours of the day and night.”

• “I thought that the mouth stick was a lot better than BCI a month ago, when we compared them I saw that BCI was just as good if not better and it's still improving; the games I can play now are leaps and bounds better than previous ones.”

• “I’m beating my friends in games that as a quadriplegic I should not be beating them in.”

Despite the slight setback, the PRIME Study participant and Neuralink remain positive about the study, with Noland Arbaugh saying, “Y'all are giving me too much, it's like a luxury overload, I haven't been able to do these things in 8 years and now I don't know where to even start allocating my attention.”

Do you think Neuralink is on the right path with its PRIME Study? Do you think the company should be permitted to include more participants in its study?

Let us know in the comments below!