Elon Musk’s Neuralink Corp. is now on the lookout for a second participant for its telepathy cybernetic brain implant trial, following a minor setback with the first participant.
What Happened: On Friday, Musk announced that the company is accepting applications for its telepathy program, which involves a brain implant that allows users to control electronic devices through thought.
The first participant, Noland Arbaugh, received his implant more than 100 days ago at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona. Despite a minor setback, the company is moving forward with the selection of a second participant.
Arbaugh’s implant experienced a malfunction post-surgery, with some of the device’s threads retracting from his brain, affecting the device’s performance. The exact number of retracted threads has not been disclosed, raising concerns about the technology’s reliability and long-term effectiveness.
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Why It Matters: Previously, it was reported that Neuralink had known about the malfunctioning of the tiny wires in the brain implant for years. The problem was first identified during animal testing conducted before the company’s approval for human trials last year, but the risk was deemed insufficient to require a redesign.
Earlier, Arbaugh also shared his extraordinary journey from paralysis to becoming a “celebrity cyborg.” Arbaugh was paralyzed in a diving accident and has become the most public recipient of the brain implant built by Neuralink.
“Once you get a taste for using it, you just can’t stop. It blows my mind so much,” Arbaugh said, adding, “I bet the next person that gets this is going to feel exactly the same way as I do.”
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