The Food and Drug Administration has authorized Neuralink to implant its brain chip into a second patient.
This decision comes after the organization resolved an electrical issue that reduced the device’s effectiveness in the initial human test subject.
According to reports, adjustments to the device, which is about the size of a large coin, involve embedding some of its ultra-thin wires deeper into the brain. Neuralink aims to use its device to treat neurological disorders.
The first individual to receive a Neuralink implant was Noland Arbaugh in January 2024. Arbaugh, who has been quadriplegic with no movement below his shoulders for the past eight years, used the Neuralink implant to control a cursor on a computer screen using only his thoughts. He was also able to communicate with friends, play games, and engage in activities that seemed impossible after his accident, according to reports.
Months after his surgery, Arbaugh noticed that the brain chip was not functioning properly because most of the threads embedded in his brain had become loose, preventing the reading of electrical signals needed to translate his thoughts into cursor movements.
Neuralink, owned by Elon Musk, is one of several organizations working on connecting the nervous system to computers to treat brain disorders, overcome brain injuries, and explore other applications.
In May 2023, Neuralink received FDA approval to proceed with human trials for brain implants.
Last year, the company announced it was seeking volunteers, specifying that the ideal candidate is a quadriplegic adult under the age of 40.
