Neuralink is gearing up to install its brain chip in a second human patient with new measures to ensure the implant remains in place. This includes inserting the chip’s electrodes deeper into the brain, aiming to address issues faced during the first human trial.
Elon Musk announced that the surgery is scheduled to occur soon. The chip aims to help individuals with physical disabilities control devices like PCs and smartphones using brain signals converted into Bluetooth commands. However, the first patient, Noland Arbaugh, experienced electrode displacement weeks after his surgery, which led to 85% of the thread-based electrodes detaching from the brain.
Neuralink attributes the displacement to an air pocket formed during surgery. To combat this, the company plans to maintain normal carbon dioxide levels during the procedure to prevent the brain from expanding or shrinking. Additionally, they will sculpt the implant to fit closer to the brain, reducing tension on the threads.
Furthermore, Neuralink intends to insert the electrodes a few millimeters deeper into the brain to ensure their functionality even if they partially retract. The company aims to increase the number of patients receiving the chip to potentially “high single digits” this year and envisions thousands of implants in the coming years, pending regulatory approval.
For more details, visit PCMag.
