A man from Yuma, Arizona, has made history as the world's first person to receive a Neuralink brain chip. Designed to help him regain functions lost in a devastating injury, the company revealed in a video posted on X. Noland Arbaugh, a 29-year-old former Texas A&M University athlete, was paralyzed from the shoulders down after a 2016 freak diving accident but now, he's accomplishing tasks like playing video games and operating a computer solely with his mind.
— Neuralink (@neuralink) March 20, 2024
Neuralink's trailblazing procedure shows Arbaugh smoothly controlling digital chess pieces and pausing music in a video demo, flexing his new capabilities after an overnight binge on his favorite games; according to a report by 12news.com, "It's all brain power up there," said Arbaugh, boasting a rejuvenated sense of autonomy.
Following the surgical implantation of the small chip, Arbaugh's progress was touted by Neuralink founder Elon Musk in a social media event, where he said, "Progress is good, and the patient seems to have made a full recovery, with no ill effects that we are aware of," Musk was quoted during the online Spaces event, according to a Reuters report.
But as the technology makes leaps forward, with grand claims by Musk of treating conditions like depression, obesity, and schizophrenia speedily through these chips Neuralink faces scrutiny over their safety protocols; they were fined recently for flouting regulations around hazardous materials transportation, yet there appears no end to the ambition that could see wide-ranging medical implications if proven safe and effective.
Although Arbaugh noted that the journey is far from over and perfection is still out of reach, he humorously likened himself to comic book luminary Professor X. "It's not perfect, we have run into some issues, I don’t want people to think this is the end of the journey," Arbaugh told 12news.com. His experience thus far with the Neuralink chip, however, has already been life-altering, signaling a potential new era for those with spinal injuries.
