An Ixo user who was part of the human trials of Elon Musk’s brain chip startup Neuralink said he posted on the social media site by “thinking”.
“Twitter banned me because they thought I was a bot, @X and @elonmusk reinstated me because I am,” wrote 29-year-old Noland Arbaugh.
Responding to Arbaugh, Musk confirmed, “The first post made only by thinking, using the Neuralink Telepathy device!”
This comes days after Musk on March 20 said Neuralink had made history by livestreaming its inaugural demonstration of a patient using a brain chip to play online chess.
Notably, it was Arbaugh, who suffered paralysis below the shoulder from a diving accident, who also demonstrated this technology.
Paralyzed Patient Plays Internet Chess with Mind
Using the Neuralink device, Arbaugh controlled his laptop course with his mind, maneuvering through a chess game. He underwent an implant in January 2024, allowing him to manipulate a computer mouse using his thoughts, Musk said.
The implant aims to empower individuals to manipulate a computer cursor or keyboard with just their thoughts, Reuters reported. Describing the surgery, Arbaugh called it “super easy,” adding that he was discharged from the hospital within a day. He reported no cognitive impairments after surgery.
“The surgery was very easy. I was literally released from the hospital a day later. I have no cognitive impairment,” Arbaugh said in the video broadcast on Musk X’s social media platform, referring to the implant procedure.
Read also | Elon Musk defends use of ketamine, says it is “beneficial” for investors
Life Changing Technology
Arbaugh expressed gratitude for the regained ability to play games, citing an uninterrupted 8-hour session of Civilization VI. Despite acknowledging imperfections and problems encountered, he emphasized the life-changing impact of the technology.
However, Kip Ludwig, former program director for neural engineering at the US National Institutes of Health, tempered expectations, stating that Neuralink’s demonstration was not a “success”.
He highlighted the early stage of post-implantation and the learning curve for both Neuralink and patients to optimize control. However, Ludwig recognized the positive step forward in interacting with computers.
Arbaugh also admitted that the technology “isn’t perfect” and has some issues. “I don’t want people to think that this is the end of the journey, there is still a lot of work to be done, but it has already changed my life,” he added.
Reuters previously reported findings by FDA inspectors regarding recordkeeping and quality control issues in animal experiments at Neuralink. This revelation came shortly after Neuralink announced approval for human brain implant testing, with no response from the company regarding the FDA inspection.
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Published: 24 Mar 2024, 10:37 IST
(tagsTo Translate)business