August 22nd, 2024

Second human being implanted with Neuralink brain chip

Neuralink's PRIME Study reports significant progress with participant Alex, who successfully controls digital devices and CAD software using an implant, enhancing his autonomy and gaming experience without thread retraction issues.

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Second human being implanted with Neuralink brain chip

Neuralink has provided an update on the PRIME Study, highlighting the progress of its second participant, Alex, who received a Neuralink implant last month. The surgery at the Barrow Neurological Institute was successful, and Alex has since demonstrated significant improvements in controlling digital devices. Within minutes of connecting the implant, he was able to control a cursor with his thoughts, surpassing previous records for brain-computer interface (BCI) performance. Alex has also begun using computer-aided design (CAD) software, successfully designing a custom mount for his Neuralink charger. This capability allows him to engage in creative projects independently, a significant enhancement over previous assistive technologies. Additionally, Alex has been able to play video games more intuitively, using the Link in conjunction with his existing assistive device, the Quadstick. The study aims to ensure the safety and functionality of the Link, with ongoing efforts to improve user experience and expand control options. Notably, no thread retraction issues have been observed in Alex, a problem encountered with the first participant. Future developments include enhancing control for digital devices and enabling interaction with the physical world, which could significantly improve autonomy for individuals with mobility impairments.

- Alex, the second participant in the PRIME Study, successfully received a Neuralink implant.

- He achieved record-breaking cursor control and began using CAD software for design projects.

- The Link allows for more intuitive gameplay, enhancing Alex's gaming experience.

- No thread retraction issues have been observed in the second participant.

- Future enhancements aim to improve digital and physical interaction for users.

Link Icon 6 comments
By @blackhawkC17 - 8 months
I imagine a dystopian feature where ransomware hackers encrypt people’s brains and ask for ransom to unlock the contents.

Anyway, this seems cool tho.

By @sc077y - 8 months
This is impressive, it's hard to imagine all the implications of a BMI.
By @gafferongames - 8 months
> "I can [think about where to] look and it goes where I want it to. It's insane.”

Aimbot! :)

By @causality0 - 8 months
I wonder if they've done anything to slow the rate of fiber retraction. I recall the first one lost most of its connections very quickly.