What sounds like science fiction has, as of this year, become reality. This ground-breaking technology not only offers new hope for people with spinal cord injuries, but also raises ethical questions about the future of human and AI interaction.
Nolan was a student and athlete at Texas A&M University, when in 2016, whilst working as a summer camp counsellor, he experienced a freak diving accident that left him quadriplegic. His severe spinal cord injury means he is paralysed from the shoulders down.
The Implantation of Neuralink’s N1 Device
In January 2024, Nolan became the first human to receive Neuralink’s brain-computer interface (BCI) as part of the PRIME study. The N1 device, implanted into his brain, contains 1,024 electrodes that can read and write electrical signals fired by neurons. These electrodes are distributed across 64 threads, each thinner than a human hair.
What makes the N1 stand out is its ability for wireless inductive charging, and wireless transmission of the data it collects. This allows the device to be implanted beneath the scalp, aligning with Neuralink’s goal of making its existence invisible to the naked eye. The N1 is a highly complex device, requiring delicate handling, so a specially designed robot, the R1, performs the surgery to ensure precision and reliability.
A New Way of Interacting with the World
In quadriplegic individuals, spinal cord damage severs the connection between neurons and muscles. However, neurons still fire transmissions, meaning the intention for movement still exists within the brain. The N1 device can intercept electrical signals from neurons and transmit them directly to an app, which translates those signals into cursor movements, according to the intentions recorded by the N1. Through this technology, people with spinal cord injuries regain some autonomy and the ability to interact with the outside world.
Early Complications and Technological Adjustments
However, in Nolan’s case, about 85% of the implanted threads began retracting from his brain, a complication caused by underestimating the movement of the human brain. The brain pulsates approximately 3mm with each heartbeat and breath—more than in the animals Neuralink previously tested on. This led to weaker signals from the electrodes. Fortunately, Neuralink was able to rewrite the system, restoring functionality and allowing Nolan to regain control of the cursor.
Since then, Neuralink has updated its systems to prevent this issue from recurring. Elon Musk, the CEO of Neuralink, stated that the company is implementing several changes, including reducing CO2 exposure during surgery, avoiding certain brain regions, and implanting the device at different depths.
Promising Progress and a Future Vision
In August this year, Neuralink announced the successful implantation of the N1 device in a second participant. In a blog post, the company reported that the surgery and recovery went smoothly, and the participant was able to control the cursor on a screen in under five minutes. So far, no thread retraction has been observed, showing promising progress with the new mitigation procedures. The participant, who prior to his injury enjoyed building things, is now learning how to design 3D objects using a computer aided design software. In a short amount of time he was able to design a custom mount for his Neuralink charger, which has been 3D printed and is now part of his setup.
Neuralink aims to conduct 10 implantations this year, with the present goal of restoring autonomy to those who have lost it due to spinal cord injuries. The progress which has been made is truly innovative and involves many highly complicated and delicate steps. Elon Musk has also hinted at a broader vision: creating a symbiosis between humans and artificial intelligence, a move he believes could mitigate potential threats posed by AI. What the moral implications of this new technology are is highly discussed and will only truly reveal itself in the future.
