Elon Musk’s Neuralink says implant works effectively in second patient in study: What that means

NeuralinkAND brain technology Elon Musk’s startup announced that his implant works effectively in the second patient in the study. The implant is designed to allow paralyzed people operate digital devices only through thought.
The company said the second patient, named Alex, did not experience any “thread retraction” issues, which contrasted with the experience of Noland Arbaugh, the first Neuralink patient who received the implant in January.
Arbaugh noticed a significant decrease in the number of electrodes able to measure brain signals as the tiny wires in the implant retracted after surgery.
However, Neuralink said the situation had stabilized for Arbaugh.
To prevent similar complications in the second patient, Neuralink implemented a number of measures, including minimizing brain movement during the surgical procedure and reducing the space between the implant and the brain surface.
Neuralink is currently testing its device, which aims to help people with spinal cord injuriesThe first patient demonstrated the ability to perform a variety of activities using the device, such as playing video games, navigating the internet, posting to social media, and controlling a laptop cursor.
Neuralink successfully implanted the device in a second patient last month. Since then, the patient has been using the device to play video games and learn 3D design skills.
The Nueralink implantable device is about the size of a coin and is implanted under the skull.
According to Neuralink, the device uses 64 tiny wires (or threads) and is equipped with more than 1,000 electrodes that help it read the activity of neurons in the brain and connect to a computer or smartphone.
In 2016, Elon Musk and a team of scientists and engineers founded Neuralink. The company says its mission is to “create a generalized brain interface to restore autonomy to people with unmet medical needs.”