Key points
- The first patient who received a Neuralink brain implant showcased his "Telepathy" abilities.
- The brain chip allows him to control a computer and play video games just by thinking.
Elon Musk's Neuralink project has taken a leap forward recently when the tech mogul announced that his startup successfully implanted a brain chip into a human subject for the first time.
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1752098683024220632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1752098683024220632%7Ctwgr%5Ead7c05ed862e0bbe758b7690a3b14d8d4ae5ab18%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.healththoroughfare.com%2Fdisease-medicine%2Ftelepathy-elon-musks-neuralink-implants-first-brain-chip-into-a-human-subject%2F71842
Spikes, in this context, are referring to peaks of electrical activity that are generated by neurons.
Now, Musk revealed via his X account that the world's first Neuralink patient is able to control a computer and play video games just by thinking.
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1770565942168420750
The first product by Neuralink is called "Telepathy, and with its help, the company’s intention is to offer aid to individuals suffering from paralysis to operate equipment that would facilitate their communication and movement.
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1752118131579867417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1752118131579867417%7Ctwgr%5Ead7c05ed862e0bbe758b7690a3b14d8d4ae5ab18%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.healththoroughfare.com%2Fdisease-medicine%2Ftelepathy-elon-musks-neuralink-implants-first-brain-chip-into-a-human-subject%2F71842
"Telepathy" allows you to control a computer with your mind
The first patient who received the chip is a paralyzed man who cannot control his body, but with the help of Neuralink, he was able to play a game of chess on a computer just with the help of his mind.
https://twitter.com/neuralink/status/1770563939413496146
The moves can be seen on the computer's display, and the patient compares his new ability with Neuralink to possessing "the force" - the telepathic ability featured in the Star Wars franchise.
“I could get it to move wherever I wanted,” the patient says during the livestream. “Just stare somewhere on the screen, and it would move where I wanted it to. It’s so cool.”
The company is optimistic about successfully implanting the chip in more patients in the future, which will allow for further testing and eventual mass distribution.
Neuralink has stated that they will be releasing more updates about the patient's progress and what else they are able to achieve with the brain chip implant in the coming days.
