Neuralink, a neurotechnology company founded by Elon Muskrecently performed the second implantation of a brain-computer interface (BCI) in a patient, with the aim of improving the procedure and solving the problems encountered during the first experiment. This innovative device allows the user to control a computer cursor with his or her thoughts.
A new plant to overcome the challenges of the past
In an eight-hour podcast published on August 2, Elon Musk announced that the second implant is working well, with about 400 of its 1,042 electrodes transmitting signals from the recipient’s brain. Not many details were disclosed about the procedure or the patient, other than that the patient has a spinal cord injury, similar to Noland Arbaugh, the first recipient of a BCI Neuralink.
Scientists now wait to see whether Neuralink can avoid the mechanical difficulties that hampered the first implant. Neurosurgeon and neurotechnology researcher Sameer Sheth of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, expressed hope for the future of the technology: “This is a necessary progress. I really hope they can continue to do it safely. They can contribute a lot to human health and disease.“.
How Neuralink BCI Works
Neuralink’s BCI, called Telepathyis designed with a coin-sized electronic hub inserted into the recipient’s skull. From this hub, 64 flexible wires run through brain fluids and membranes to reach the motor cortex, the region of the brain that controls movement. A surgical robot inserts these wires into the cortex in a 20- to 40-minute operation.
Each wire has 16 recording sites, for a total of 1,024 electrodes that can record neural activity and send signals to an external device via Bluetooth. The first recipient, Noland Arbaugh, was able to use the device to control a cursor on a computer screen.
First System Problems and Solutions
A month after Arbaugh’s implant, 85 percent of the flexible wires had withdrawn from the brain, dramatically reducing the device’s capabilities. Neuralink responded by changing the recording algorithm from recording the activity of individual neurons to recording the average activity of neurons near each electrode. Although this approach has lower resolution, it significantly improved the device’s performance.
During a livestream his XJuly 10, Matthew MacDougall, head of neurosurgery at Neuralink, explained that the first surgical procedure caused an air pocket that may have contributed to the electrodes becoming dislodged. For the second implant, the surgical team employed new techniques to prevent air pockets from forming and improve the placement of the electronic hub in the skull.
Vikash Gilja, Chief Scientific Officer of Paradromicsa competing company, has raised concerns about the stability and durability of the device, pointing out that the brain is not static and moves with breathing and movement. This movement could adversely affect the electrode wires. In addition, the long-term stability of the materials used by Neuralink is still uncertain and requires long-term studies.
Neuralink plans to frequently update its devices, each of which will require a new neurosurgical intervention. In contrast, Paradromics intends to minimize the need for subsequent interventions, aiming for a longer lifespan for its implants.
Musk has stated that Neuralink’s ultimate goal is to create a BCI that allows humans to enter in symbiosis with artificial intelligence and treat conditions such as psychosis, seizures and memory loss. However, experts such as Anna Wexler, a neuroethicist at theUniversity of Pennsylvaniawarn that such predictions could mislead potential study volunteers, raising questions about their understanding and expectations.
In conclusion, Neuralink’s second implant represents a significant step towards the implementation of advanced brain-computer interfaces. Although there are still many challenges to be addressed, the progress made so far is promising and could open new frontiers in the treatment of spinal cord injuries and in other areas of neurotechnology.
