Elon Musk's Neuralink Brain-Chip Implant Facing Unexpected Challenge

Updated: May 09 2024 17:42


Neuralink, the Elon Musk-owned company, has recently made headlines with its first brain-chip implant in a human patient, Noland Arbaugh. While the implantation appeared flawless initially, the company encountered a problem that reduced the amount of data captured from Arbaugh's brain. Despite this setback, Neuralink and Arbaugh staged a successful demonstration, showcasing the potential of brain-computer interface technology.



Neuralink's N1 implant is a coin-sized device, measuring approximately 23 by 8 millimeters, designed to be embedded within the human brain. The implant aims to facilitate a brain-computer interface by acquiring electrical signals from the brain, interpreting them, and potentially transforming them into actions.

The primary focus of this technology is on health and medical applications, such as restoring physical mobility for individuals with disabilities.


The N1 implant boasts an all-day battery life and wireless recharging capabilities. Its design allows it to be flush with the skull, making it cosmetically invisible upon implantation. The FDA's approval for human clinical trials, dubbed the PRIME study, is tightly regulated and limited to individuals with quadriplegia resulting from injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).


The current version of the device — the N1 Implant — is an intracortical BCI implant designed to record neural activity through 1,024 electrodes distributed across 64 flexible leads, or “threads,” each of which are thinner than a human hair and capable of being placed independently in the brain.


While the thin and flexible nature of the threads are designed to decrease participant risk and increase device utility, they also make the threads impractical to manipulate by hand. Therefore, we’ve built a surgical robot — the R1 Robot — designed to reliably and efficiently insert the threads into the cortex, so that the electrodes can be placed near neurons of interest.

Signals acquired by the electrodes are routed to electronics contained in the enclosure of the N1 Implant, which process and wirelessly transmit the neural data to an instance of the Neuralink Application running on an external device, such as a computer. The Neuralink Application decodes and translates the neural data into actions, such as movements of a cursor on a computer screen. The N1 Implant is powered by an onboard battery that is inductively recharged by the N1 Charger. The ability to wirelessly communicate and inductively charge enables the N1 Implant to be surgically implanted under the scalp so that it is cosmetically invisible and used without any physical connectors to external devices.


Neuralink encountered an unexpected challenge when some of the implant's threads retracted from Arbaugh's brain, leading to a decline in the amount of data captured. The company explored various factors that may have contributed to this issue, including the possibility of trapped air inside Arbaugh's skull after surgery, a condition known as pneumocephalus.

Despite the setback, Neuralink's team remained optimistic and worked diligently to find solutions. They modified their algorithms to improve the bits-per-second, a measure of the speed and accuracy of Arbaugh's ability to control a computer cursor with his thoughts. The company also informed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about their proposed fixes for the problem, hoping to implant two more patients in the coming months after completing a safety review of Arbaugh's case.

Even with the implant's degraded capabilities, Neuralink and Arbaugh were able to pull off a remarkable live demonstration. Arbaugh showcased his ability to play computer chess, dragging and dropping pieces on the virtual board using only his thoughts. This feat had never been demonstrated outside a lab setting before, highlighting the potential of brain-computer interface technology to restore function to individuals with spinal cord injuries.


Prior to having the Link, Noland’s primary digital interface was a mouth-held tablet stylus (mouth stick) that had to be put in place by a caregiver. The mouth stick can only be used in the upright position to operate a tablet. With prolonged use it can lead to discomfort, muscle fatigue, and pressure sores; it also prevents normal speech.


In the weeks since his surgery, Noland has used the Link to control his laptop from various positions, including while lying down in bed. He plays online computer games with friends (Chess, Civilization VI), browses the internet, live streams, and uses other applications on his MacBook, all by controlling a cursor with his mind. He has even used the Link to play Mario Kart on a Nintendo Switch console — something he had not been able to do since his spinal cord injury.

Noland Arbaugh: [The Link] has helped me reconnect with the world, my friends, and my family. It's given me the ability to do things on my own again without needing my family at all hours of the day and night.

Neuralink's endeavors have been met with controversy, largely due to the company's testing practices and concerns about the technology itself. Reports have surfaced alleging animal cruelty in Neuralink's labs, with over 1,500 animals dying since the company began experimenting on them in 2018. The mortality rate has been higher than usual, allegedly due to a demanding development schedule.

The FDA's hesitance to grant approval stems from uncertainty about the long-term effects of brain implants like the N1. Concerns include the risk of permanent brain damage, the difficulty of removing the implant, the possibility of wires shifting to different areas of the brain, and the potential for chips to overheat. Ethical considerations also come into play, such as the risk of eavesdropping on the human mind and the potential for algorithms to exert control over the body.


Neuralink's experience with Arbaugh's implant underscores the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in the field of brain-computer interfaces. The company has set an ambitious goal of implanting 10 people with its device this year, and the lessons learned from Arbaugh's case will undoubtedly inform their future endeavors.

As advances in brain-computer interface devices continue, the potential to improve the lives of millions of people living with spinal cord injuries becomes increasingly tangible. Neuralink's groundbreaking work, despite the challenges faced, represents a significant step forward in this field. The emergence of players like NeuroXess and Stairmed suggests that advanced neurotechnology, including BCI devices, is likely to materialize in the near future.


Neuralink's first brain-chip implant in a human patient, while not without its challenges, has demonstrated the immense potential of brain-computer interface technology. The company's ability to adapt and overcome obstacles, coupled with the successful demonstration by Noland Arbaugh, serves as a testament to the dedication and innovation driving this field forward. As Neuralink continues to refine its technology and expand its patient base, the future of brain-computer interfaces looks increasingly promising, offering hope to those living with spinal cord injuries and paving the way for groundbreaking advancements in the years to come.