Musk's second subject from Brain-Computer Interface was approved by the FDA to implant chips in 10 people this year

Tencent Technology

2024-05-21 16:10Posted on the official account of Hebei Tencent News Technology Channel

Highlight the point

• 1

  The U.S. FDA has approved Elon Musk's brain-computer interface company Neuralink's application to implant a brain chip into a second patient.

• 2

  At the same time, the FDA also approved Neuralink's proposed fix for the problem in the first tester, which was to increase the depth of implantation.

• 3

  Neuralink aims to implant brain chips in 10 participants this year, with more than 1,000 patients currently submitting applications.

Tencent Technology News reported on May 21 that according to foreign media reports, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the application of Elon Musk's brain-computer interface company Neuralink, allowing it to implant brain chips into the second patient. At the same time, the FDA also approved Neuralink's proposed fix for the problem that occurred in the first tester.

According to people familiar with the matter and a document, the repair involves implanting a series of ultra-fine wires deeper into the brain. As Neuralink prepares the second test subject for implantation, the first tester, Noland Arbaugh, begins to share the impact the device has had on his life and the emotional turmoil he experienced before, during, and after the device's partial function.

Within days of the implant in January, Abo was able to use Neuralink's brain chip to control the cursor on a computer screen just by thinking. Eight years earlier, he had been paralyzed from quadriplegia and had lost all mobility below the shoulder, and suddenly he was able to communicate with friends, play games, and interact with the outside world in a scenario that seemed out of reach after his accident.

However, a month after the surgery, Abo noticed that the brain's chip had become less functional, and most of the nerves implanted in his brain had become loose and he was no longer able to read the electrical signals that translated his thoughts into cursor movements. In the interview, Abo recalled: "I was very happy, but then I fell into a low point. It was so hard for me that I even cried. ”

Neuralink首位测试者诺兰·阿博

Neuralink's N1 implant is a coin-sized container with electronics and a battery built into it. Its 64 external wires, each thinner than a human hair, are precisely inserted into the brain's motor cortex to capture and transmit nerve signals.

Abbo revealed that Neuralink told him that about 15% of the nerves implanted in his brain were still in place. They have now stabilized. Through Neuralink's subsequent adjustments to the software, Abo regained many of the functions of the brain chip, which were demonstrated in subsequent live broadcasts.

Because the device is being implanted in the human body for the first time, Neuralink doesn't fully understand how it moves within the skull, Abo said. He revealed that the experiment found that his brain activity was three times as high as the company expected.

To ensure that the nerves are kept in the optimal position, the FDA has approved a solution proposed by Neuralink, which is to implant the nerves into the motor cortex of the brain at a depth of 8 millimeters, whereas Abo was previously implanted at a depth of only 3 to 5 millimeters.

With FDA approval, Neuralink plans to perform implantation surgery for a second participant at some point in June, according to people familiar with the matter. Currently, more than 1,000 patients with quadriplegia are enrolled in Neuralink's patient registry, but less than 100 are eligible to participate in the study.

Although there are already a lot of qualified candidates, Musk previously posted on the X platform that Neuralink is still accepting applications.

Neuralink aims to implant the device in 10 participants this year, with the expectation that recipients will have different backgrounds in order to study a variety of behavioral responses. One of the challenges, according to people familiar with the matter, is that the population currently enrolled in its patient registry is predominantly white and male.

In addition, the people also revealed that Neuralink plans to submit applications to regulators in Canada and the United Kingdom in the coming months to conduct similar trials in these countries. Currently, its patient registration is already open to Canada and will be open to the UK in the near future. (Compiler/Golden Deer)

View original image 169K

• 

•