Neuralink, the brain-computer interface company founded by Elon Musk, has successfully conducted a second implant trial on a patient.
This follows their initial trial earlier in the year. The patient -referred to as "Alex"- did not experience the same complications that occurred with the first patient, Noland Arbaugh, whose implant had issues with "thread retraction," where the tiny wires retracted, reducing the effectiveness of the electrodes.
The implant is functioning well for Alex, allowing him to control digital devices, play video games, and even start learning 3D design.
Neuralink addressed the previous issues by adjusting the surgical procedure, minimizing brain movement during the operation, and reducing the gap between the implant and the brain's surface. This refinement appears to have been successful, as no similar problems were reported in this second trial