Just weeks after showcasing the pioneering capabilities of Neuralink’s brain-computer interface (BCI) in a live video stream, the company has reported an unexpected technical setback. Noland Arbaugh, the 29-year-old pioneer of Neuralink’s human trials, experienced a malfunction in the brain chip when threads retracted from his brain tissue.
Neuralink’s BCI, known for its potential to help patients with paralysis control technology through thought, encountered this issue approximately one month after its implantation in Arbaugh, who is quadriplegic following a diving accident. The company’s blog post revealed that a number of electrode-studded threads had retracted, leading to a decrease in the number of effective electrodes. This retraction compromised the data transmission capability of the device, crucially impacting its functionality.
Despite the setback, Neuralink was able to mitigate the malfunction with software adjustments. The company stated, “In response to this change, we modified the recording algorithm to be more sensitive to neural population signals, improved the techniques to translate these signals into cursor movements, and enhanced the user interface.” The alterations led to “a rapid and sustained improvement” in the bits-per-second rate (BPS), a standard measure for the speed and accuracy of the patient’s control over a computer cursor through thought. Impressively, the BPS rate now exceeds the initial performance post-implantation.
Arbaugh’s journey has been widely followed since the implantation, with Neuralink sharing his ability to play video games using the BCI. These milestones were considered promising steps toward broader applications of the technology, including the potential to operate robotic arms and wheelchairs. However, it’s worth mentioning the inherent design challenges indicated by neurosurgeon Eric Leuthardt, which could be associated with Neuralink’s approach to embedding electrodes within the skull bone instead of on the brain tissue surface.
The retraction issue may prompt concerns about the stability and durability of this revolutionary technology. The electrodes’ displacement hints at the possibility that minor head movements may significantly affect the implant. While the implications for FDA approval and future trials remain uncertain, Neuralink’s commitment to refining its technology continues unabated.
The malfunction, however, has not posed a direct safety risk to Arbaugh, with considerations for removing the implant being only speculative at this stage. Despite the unprecedented nature of the situation, Arbaugh continues to utilize the BCI system extensively, reportedly for up to 10 hours on weekends.
Relevant articles:
– Threads of Neuralink’s brain chip have “retracted” from human’s brain It’s unclear what caused the retraction or how many threads have become displaced., arstechnica.com, 05/10/2024
– Elon Musk’s Neuralink chip malfunctions in first in-human brain implant, New York Post, 05/09/2024
– Elon Musk’s Neuralink responds to ‘Brain-Implant’ malfunction, implications for FDA approval and future trials, Mint, 05/09/2024
– Neuralink brain-chip implant encounters issues in first human patient, CBS News, 05/09/2024
– Neuralink’s human brain chip malfunctions during trial on 29-year-old man, Business Today, 05/09/2024