During a podcast with Lex Fridman, Elon Musk revealed that Neuralink has successfully implanted its brain chip into a second patient for early human trials, although the specific date and recipient remain undisclosed. Musk shared that 400 out of 1,024 electrodes on the patient’s brain are operational and described the procedure as having gone extremely well. The brain chip enables individuals with spinal cord injuries to engage in activities like playing video games, surfing the internet, and controlling electronic devices through their thoughts. Neuralink had previously conducted trials with participant Nolan Arbaugh, who described the surgery as easy and demonstrated the chip’s capabilities by maneuvering a laptop cursor and playing games. However, there were post-surgery complications with electrode retraction, prompting modifications to ensure better implant stability. Despite challenges, Neuralink has garnered over 1,000 volunteers for further trials and aims to implant chips in up to eight more patients by the end of 2024.
