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First recipient of Musk's Neuralink chip implant reveals man-machine integration: playing chess with thoughts

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First recipient of Musk

Yesterday, on the 20th, Elon Musk's neurotechnology company Neuralink live-streamed on Twitter, showcasing the initial results of the first human trial of its brain implant device, Telepathy, on subject X. The video demonstrated that a man with quadriplegia was able to play computer games solely through the power of his thoughts controlled by his brain.

Background: Neuralink Completes First Human Trial

In May last year, after receiving authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct human clinical trials, Neuralink actively recruited human trial participants.

In January this year, Elon Musk announced that after years of testing on monkeys, Neuralink successfully implanted its chip into a human for the first time.

Reportedly, their first product named "Telepathy" consists of extremely thin and flexible wires implanted in the brain regions that control movement, serving as recording and transmission devices to translate the patient's thoughts into digital motion.

Elon Musk's Neuralink Completes First Human Implant, Meme Coin Telepathy Surges 41,000%

Neuralink Participant: Gaming with "The Force"

Today, the identity and basic background of the first clinical trial participant were revealed in a live stream after the surgery. Meet 29-year-old Noland Arbaugh, who was paralyzed in all four limbs due to a spinal cord injury from a diving accident eight years ago.

However, with the Neuralink neural interface device implanted, Noland can now play simple computer games using his brain's thoughts, explaining:

"I look at a spot on the screen, and the cursor moves to where I want it to go, as if I have the power over it."

He added, "Controlling a computer with your brain feels like using 'The Force'."

In a live stream with Neuralink engineer Bliss Chapman, Noland showcased how he controls the mouse movement using his brain to play games like chess and "Civilization VI," claiming that the technology has transformed his life.

Neuralink Twitter live stream

"Even though the chip isn't perfect, we've encountered some issues, but it has brought many improvements to my life."

He further added, "The surgery process went very smoothly, and I was able to leave the hospital the day after the surgery."

Noland Encourages Participation in Trials

As Neuralink's Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) development progresses, Noland urges other patients with neurological disabilities to join the clinical trials:

"I don't want people to think this is the end of the journey; there is still a lot of work to be done."

A few days ago, the company also expressed its recruitment intentions through a announcement, stating that developing BCI is an interdisciplinary challenge.

Musk's Vision: Paralyzed Patients May Walk Again

As a co-founder of Neuralink, Musk is optimistic about the prospects:

"Long term, avoiding the damaged part of the spine by transmitting signals from the brain's motor cortex could potentially enable people to walk again and use their arms normally."

Another Neuralink employee also emphasized:

"This is a significant step towards the future, with blindness and paralysis being effectively cured first."

Medical Ethics Committee PCRM Warns of Serious Safety Issues

However, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), a medical ethics advocacy group, expressed concerns regarding Neuralink's human trials, stating that the rushed and reckless actions have raised serious safety issues:

"Neuralink conducted invasive, unnecessary, and hasty experiments on animals like monkeys, causing serious concerns about the safety of their devices."

They emphasized, "The device's batteries and thin wires implanted could potentially move to other areas of the brain, and the project has not explained how the device will be removed without harming brain tissue."