Elon Musk Confirms Neuralink Chip Implant in Second Patient
Eight more individuals will reportedly undergo the operation this year.
Elon Musk has announced that his brain chip company Neuralink has implanted its device into a second patient. The chip is designed to allow individuals who are paralyzed due to spinal cord injuries the ability to control digital devices solely through their thoughts.
Appearing on computer scientist Lex Fridman’s podcast, Musk revealed that the implantation had taken place. He didn’t say the exact date of the procedure but described the patient as a man who was paralyzed in a diving accident.
“I don’t want to jinx it but it seems to have gone extremely well with the second implant,” he said. “There’s a lot of signal, a lot of electrodes. It’s working very well.”
Neuralink’s first patient, Noland Arbaugh, also appeared on the podcast and spoke about how the implant has granted him the ability to move a computer cursor using his thoughts, reducing his reliance on caretakers. Arbaugh underwent implantation in January after the company received FDA approval to begin clinical trials.
Musk said that Neuralink plans to implant the chip into eight more patients this year as part of its trials.
