Noland Arbaugh, a man paralyzed from the shoulders down After a diving accident eight years ago, he has become the pioneer of a new era in brain-computer interface. Thanks to a brain chip developed by Neuralink, the company led by Elon Musk, Arbaugh You can control a computer cursor with just your thought.
In a live broadcast, Neuralink showcased the incredible technological advancement by showing Arbaugh playing a game of chess using only your mind to move the pieces on the screen. This milestone has been anticipated since Musk announced his company's progress in this area, and now it materializes with the testimony of Arbaugh, who highlighted the ease of the surgery and the remarkable absence of cognitive impairment.
The Neuralink chip, the size of a coin, is equipped with 1,024 electrodes thinner than a human hair, allowing a precise connection with the brain. In addition, it has a wirelessly rechargeable battery, which guarantees continuous autonomy for the user.
Arbaugh, in addition to impressing with his chess skills, revealed that thanks to the chip he has been able to resume activities that he thought were lost forever, such as playing the video game Civilization VI, something he had not been able to do since his accident.
However, the trailer is not without controversy. Last month, Reuters reported that the US FDA had expressed Concerns about Neuralink's quality and registration procedures, especially after the company claimed to have authorization to test its brain implants on humans. This scrutiny intensified after problems were revealed in animal experiments carried out by the company.