Elon Musk’s Neuralink Demonstrates First Brain-Chip Patient Engaged in Chess

Noland Arbaugh, a 29-year-old who suffered paralysis below the shoulders following a diving incident, received an implant from Neuralink in January.

Neuralink has unveiled footage showcasing the inaugural patient, who is paralyzed from the shoulders down, engaging in online chess. In a nine-minute video release, the patient demonstrates moving a cursor across a laptop screen solely through thought. The video captures him playing chess and adjusting the laptop’s music settings.

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— Neuralink (@neuralink) March 20, 2024

Identified as Noland Arbaugh, the 29-year-old patient shares his experience in a livestream, revealing his paralysis below the shoulder due to the diving accident. Mr. Arbaugh underwent implantation in January, subsequently gaining the ability to control a computer mouse using his thoughts, as stated by Musk last month.

Musk envisions the brain chip to eventually empower users with disabilities, akin to Stephen Hawking, to communicate at an accelerated pace. Additionally, he suggests potential applications in treating conditions such as obesity, autism, depression, and schizophrenia.

Reflecting on the implant procedure, Mr. Arbaugh describes it as straightforward, leading to his discharge from the hospital within a day without any cognitive impairments. He expresses gratitude for being able to resume activities like playing the game Civilization VI, which he had given up on prior to receiving the implant.

However, Mr. Arbaugh acknowledges that the technology is not flawless, mentioning encountered challenges. Despite this, he emphasizes the transformative impact it has had on his life.

In the Neuralink video, Mr. Arbaugh details his training process following implantation, explaining how imagining hand movements eventually translated into cursor control. He likens the experience to employing “The Force” from Star Wars, noting the intuitive nature of cursor manipulation.

Continual advancements in understanding and utilizing the technology leave Mr. Arbaugh optimistic about the future applications of Neuralink’s brain-chip interface.