The implant, which has now been tested on a second patient named Alex, aims to help individuals with spinal cord injuries regain control over digital interactions.
Neuralink’s first patient, Noland Arbaugh, received the implant in January but experienced a complication known as “thread retraction.” This issue caused the tiny wires of the implant to retract after surgery, leading to a significant reduction in the electrodes available to capture brain signals. Despite this setback, Neuralink noted that the threads have since stabilized for Arbaugh.
Learning from the initial trial, Neuralink made adjustments to the procedure for the second patient, Alex. The company focused on minimizing brain movement during surgery and ensuring a tighter fit between the implant and the brain’s surface. These measures appear to have been successful, as Alex has not experienced the same retraction issues that affected Arbaugh.
