What’s Going on?
Neuralink, Elon Musk’s brain-tech company, has implanted tiny chips into the brains of people with severe paralysis. These chips let users control computers or smartphones using their thoughts. All implants are working well so far.
Who Has Been Implanted?
- First patient: Noland Arbaugh, a quadriplegic, received the first implant in January 2024 and could already control a cursor, play games, and browse the web using thought.
- Second: A person with a spinal injury used the chip to play video games and design 3D models.
- Third: Brad Smith, diagnosed with ALS and unable to speak, used his chip to type, edit a video, and narrate messages with an AI-cloned voice.
- Fourth/Fifth: In April 2025, the fifth participant, “RJ,” a paralyzed military veteran, gained mind control of computers and smartphones after the implant.
How It Works
- The Chip: Called “Telepathy” or N1, it’s surgically placed in the brain’s motor-cortex area.
- Electrodes: Ultra-thin threads detect brain signals—up to thousands of channels.
- Wireless Coordination: Signals are sent wirelessly to devices; no wires or external attachments needed .
- Robotic Surgery: A precision robot implants the chip safely.
What Users Can Do
- Move cursor or type on a computer/smartphone with mind.
- Play video games, control smart devices, or design CAD models via thought.
- One user controlled a vehicle-like robotic arm using brain signals.
Improvements in 2025
- New versions have more electrodes, higher data bandwidth, and longer battery life.
- Neuralink plans 20–30 implants in 2025.
- They’re also developing Blindsight, a chip to restore vision by stimulating the visual cortex.
Why This Matters
- Restores independence: Gives paralyzed or ALS patients new freedoms to communicate and interact.
- Fast progress: From one human implant in 2024 to at least five in 2025, with many more planned.
- Future potential: Could one day restore vision, speech, or even bring “superpowers” like faster thought-based communication.
TL;DR Summary
Neuralink is successfully implanting brain chips in humans, allowing people unable to move or speak to control devices with their thoughts. The technology is rapidly scaling up—with improvements in hardware, more participants, and capabilities being added (like restoring vision).