Elon Musk’s Neuralink company recently conducted a second trial implant in a human named Alex, and said it is working well.
As per Reuters, the implant is designed to allow paralyzed patients to use digital devices simply by thinking.
Neuralink’s first patient, Noland Arbaugh, who received an implant in January, experienced an unexpected complication with the electrode threads retracting from his brain.
Taking this into consideration, the company has now implanted the device with careful attention to avoid similar issues.
The company said in a blog post, noting, “To reduce the probability of thread retraction in our second participant, we implemented a number of mitigations, including reducing brain motion during the surgery and reducing the gap between the implant and the surface of the brain.”
Moreover, Neuralink is in the process of testing its device designed to assist people with spinal cord injuries.
The device has allowed the first patient to carry out activities such as playing video games, browsing online, posting on social media, and controlling a cursor on his laptop.
