The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Neuralink, Elon Musk’s brain-machine interface company, approval to implant its brain chip in a second human subject. This decision follows adjustments made to address issues encountered with the first participant, Noland Arbaugh, who shared his transformative yet challenging experience with the device.
Noland Arbaugh, a quadriplegic, received the Neuralink implant in January. Initially, the device allowed him to control a computer cursor with his thoughts, enabling him to communicate and engage in activities he had been unable to do for years. This newfound ability brought immense joy and a sense of independence. However, after a month, the device’s effectiveness diminished as most of the implanted threads in his brain loosened, failing to transmit the necessary electrical signals.
Arbaugh described this setback as an emotional roller coaster, expressing how devastating it was to lose the capabilities he had briefly regained. Neuralink’s N1 implant, containing electronics and a battery within a container the size of a U.S. quarter, uses 64 ultra-thin threads inserted into the brain’s motor cortex. Despite the setback, about 15% of these threads remained functional, and subsequent software updates restored many of the device’s capabilities.
The primary issue was unexpected brain movement inside the skull, which exceeded Neuralink’s initial estimates by up to three times. To mitigate this, Neuralink proposed embedding the threads deeper into the brain, a change approved by the FDA. This adjustment aims to ensure the threads remain in place and maintain their functionality.
With the FDA’s approval, Neuralink plans to proceed with the second implantation in June. The company has a goal to implant the device in ten individuals this year, seeking a diverse group of participants to study various behaviors and outcomes. Despite a current participant pool that skews white and male, Neuralink is expanding its registry to include candidates from Canada and Britain.
