Neuralink Successfully Installs Implant in Second Trial Patient

The American neurotechnology company Neuralink successfully installed its second implant in another human, according to a report shared this Wednesday on its website. The new participant is now able to play video games and is learning to design 3D objects with computer-aided design (CAD).

“This marks another significant step towards providing a high-performance interface that will enhance the control of digital devices for people with quadriplegia to help restore their autonomy,” wrote the company in the report.

Alex—only the patient’s first name has been revealed—became the second patient to be part of the startup’s PRIME Study and had surgery at the Barrow Neurological Institute last month. The procedure “went well” and the company shared more details of the results. “I’m already super impressed with how this works,” said Alex.

Neuralink’s first patient, Noland Arbaugh, encountered a medical problem with retracted threads, reported in May, but this time, as explained in the report, experts took measures to reduce thread retraction like “reducing brain motion during the surgery and reducing the gap between the implant and the surface of the brain.”

According to the report, the implant was installed last month and in less than 5 minutes Alex could control the computer cursor with his mind. In just a few hours, the patient could achieve all tasks and quickly surpass all the tests in the company’s game called Webgrid created to measure success in this procedure. Later, the patient used his new abilities to play the game Counter-Strike 2. The patient was discharged only one day after the surgery.

Since the surgery, Neuralink has been working with Alex to improve his capabilities and help him create and achieve his goals. Alex was an automotive technician before his spine cord injury and had always wanted to learn how to design 3D objects using CAD. He used the CAD software Fusion 360 on the second day of the implant installation and has been building and designing a custom mount for his Neuralink charger.

The company shared a YouTube video showing how he designed the mount.

And another one of Alex playing Counter-Strike 2:

Neuralink said they are working to improve future participants’ experiences.