New Delhi: Neuralink Corp., the brain-computer interface company founded by Elon Muskhas successfully implanted its device in a third human patient and plans to perform 20 to 30 more procedures in 2025, Musk announced this week.
“We now have three humans with Neuralinks implanted and they are all working well,” Musk said during an event in Las Vegas, broadcast on X, his social media platform, according to Bloomberg.
In the United States, Neuralink has so far implanted its device in two patients. The first recipient was able to play video games, surf the Internet, post on social media and move a laptop cursor using his mind.
Neuralink is one of several startups exploring brain implants designed to treat neurological conditions such as paralysis and ALS. These experimental procedures often require surgeons to open the skull to place electrodes in the brain tissue. Neuralink’s first human implant, performed a year ago, involved a patient named Noland Arbaugh.
The company currently has two studies registered with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Prime study, involving up to five patients, focuses on allowing paralyzed people to control external devices such as computers or smartphones using their thoughts. Another study, called Convoy, targets three patients and aims to help them operate devices such as assistive robotic arms.
Neuralink uses a surgical robot to implant a brain-computer interface (BCI) into the part of the brain that controls movement intention. According to Neuralink, BCIs decode brain signals and translate them into commands for external technologies. The implant’s “ultra-fine” threads transmit brain signals, a feature the company highlights as a significant innovation.
Neuralink is not alone in this field. Companies such as Synchron, Precision Neuroscience, Paradromics and Blackrock Neurotech have developed similar systems aimed at improving communication and mobility for people with neurological conditions.
In November 2024, Neuralink announced the approval of a feasibility study involving its brain implant and an experimental robotic arm. This is part of the ongoing PRIME study, which is evaluating the safety of its wireless BCI and surgical robot. The study focuses on patients with quadriplegia, allowing them to control external devices solely through thought.
As Neuralink advances its clinical trials and expands the use of brain-computer interfaces, the company moves closer to achieving its ambitious goal of revolutionizing neurotechnology.
