Neuralink has officially reached the one-year mark since it began human trials using its brain-computer interface technology.
In January 2024, Noland Arbaugh became the first human to receive “The Link” brain interface chip. Shortly afterward, two more candidates followed, each receiving a fully implantable and cosmetically invisible chip. To date, the three participants have accumulated over 4,900 hours of use.
The Link restores a degree of autonomy to users who are incapable of using their arms or legs due to spinal cord injuries or other accidents that left them paralyzed. With the Link, patients can operate their phones, play video games, or use their computers only with their thoughts, which the Neuralink team calls “Telepathy.”
Real “Telepathy”?
Webster’s Dictionary defines telepathy as communication between one mind and another by extraordinary means. For decades, academics have debated whether some people genuinely possess the ability to communicate with each other only using their minds. Many would call it purely science fiction, but some scholars and scientists continue working to evaluate whether “true” telepathy can be achieved without the assistance of technology.
The popular podcast The Telepathy Tapes explores claims from Dr. Diane Hennacy Powell and podcast host and producer Ky Dickens regarding the profound abilities of non-speakers with autism. Conducting interviews and experiments with autistic children and their parents, the podcast claims to document unbelievable telepathic abilities some children exhibit, which, if confirmed, could potentially warrant scientific study and help to change cultural perspectives on autism.
REMspace, a California-based neurotech startup, has also claimed to achieve telepathy-like capabilities involving the first two-way communication between individuals during lucid dreaming. The company’s experiments, involving information reportedly communicated between two dreaming study participants using specially designed equipment connected through Wi-Fi, are not “true” telepathy. However, they would be novel if confirmed in future peer-reviewed studies.
In the case of Neuralink, the term “telepathy” seems to have been used more for marketing than as a literal description of what the company’s technologies enable. In short, the Link does not allow patients to read or transfer thoughts to other people. Neuralink’s “telepathy” describes seamless, thought-driven control of devices, which can feel like a form of “mind communication” with technology.
With 670 days of “telepathy” conducted over 4,900 hours, Neuralink’s brain interface trials comprised scheduled research sessions with study participants using the Link independently during everyday activities. According to the Neuralink blog, “Independent use indicates how helpful the Link is for real-world applications and our progress towards our mission of restoring autonomy.”
“Last month, participants used the Link independently for an average of 6.5 hours per day,” the posting read.
Neuralink’s Transhuman Pioneers
To date, three individuals have been equipped with Neuralink’s “Telepathy” capabilities, identified by the company as Noland Arbaugh, “Alex,” and “Brad.” Each volunteered for Neuralink’s PRIME Study and was accepted into clinical trials.
Arbaugh made history as the first person to receive Neuralink’s brain implant in clinical trials. At 30 years old, Arbaugh is paralyzed from the shoulders down, resulting from a diving accident, and took the courageous step of volunteering for Neuralink’s groundbreaking procedure.
“[The Link] has helped me reconnect with the world, my friends, and my family. It’s given me the ability to do things on my own again without needing my family at all hours of the day and night,” Arbaugh said on the Neuralink blog.
With the Link, Arbaugh can control digital devices at his own pace and even challenged himself to use “Telepathy” nonstop during a 72-hour live stream on X.
“Before, my learning was just watching YouTube. That’s not what I’m doing anymore. I’m able to use different apps to do more interactive and hands-on things online. I feel like I’m learning a lot more… I work and learn from sun up to sun down. This is not something I would be able to do without the Neuralink,” Arbaugh said.
Arbaugh did experience medical complications last year when threads connecting the interface to his brain retracted. Neuralink quickly addressed this issue and changed the chip algorithm, which the company says resolved the problem.
The Link’s second transhuman pioneer is “Alex,” who reportedly was not the initial choice to receive the second implant. Elon Musk announced the delay of Neuralink’s highly anticipated second brain chip implant procedure last July. The original patient, who was set to become the second to receive the brain-computer interface, had to withdraw from the procedure—initially scheduled for Monday, June 24—due to health concerns unrelated to the implant.
“Choosing the right patient for such a trial is crucial. Everyone involved, both clinically and surgically, aims to ensure precision,” said Michael Lawton, CEO of the Barrow Neurological Institute, where the second implant was inserted.
Alex was then chosen directly after. Before receiving the brain interface chip and injury, Alex enjoyed designing and building automotive parts but was unfortunately in a car accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down, losing all mobility. With the new chip implanted, Alex has regained the ability to 3D design objects using his mind and (CAD), a computer-aided design software, and designing graphics using Adobe Illustrator. In recent days, Alex has been learning to code Arduino projects. By gaining back these abilities, Alex has contributed to helping out his family’s business.
“I was a very creative person before my accident. After my accident, I wasn’t really able to do that, [and] it really hindered my drive to create things,” Alex said of his experiences.
“Having the BCI… allows me to push the boundaries of what I can create,” he added.
This year, Alex took a major step forward by becoming the first participant in the CONVOY (Control of Assistive Devices Via Brain-Computer Interface Technology) Study. This exciting clinical trial explores how the Link can help control devices like the Assistive Robotic Arm (ARA), offering new possibilities for people with paralysis to regain autonomy.
ARA could help change how Alex and others who are paralyzed engage in daily life activities, potentially allowing them to contribute to society in ways that would have been impossible before using The Link.
Last week, the company’s CEO, Elon Musk, shared a video on X showcasing a robotic arm seemingly controlled by the N1 brain chip, which spells the word “Convoy.” Whether Alex or some other individual controlled the robot arm in the video remains unclear.
Brad is the third and most recent candidate to receive Neuralink’s brain interface chip successfully. He has been battling late-stage ALS, which has left him unable to speak or move his body except for his eyes and the corners of his mouth. Previously, he relied on an eye tracker for communication, but this device is highly sensitive to movement, preventing him from communicating outdoors. As a result, Brad often found himself confined indoors, sometimes in complete darkness. This limitation posed significant challenges for him and his family, as he is a businessman, father, and active member of his church community.
When presented with the opportunity to receive The Link, Neuralink’s brain interface chip, Brad’s communication ability transformed. He can now type on a computer’s on-screen keyboard in various environments, granting him greater flexibility at home and with his loved ones.
“The most significant thing that happened this week will sound strange to you,” Brad shared. “I got to use the computer on the porch, and it worked!!”
In the weeks following the implant, Brad watched his son win a regional robotics competition, had conversations in the park, and even hosted a Q&A session at his church. His next goal, along with Neuralink, is to achieve a more natural form of speech communication.
Despite these groundbreaking advancements, Neuralink has faced some challenges. While the company has successfully resolved one prior technical complication, it continues to face scrutiny over allegations of animal cruelty.
The company aims to continue progressing with its innovative brain chip interfaces and associated technologies, ultimately working with more human patients to help them restore capabilities and improve the effectiveness and reliability of Neuralink’s novel assistive technologies.
Chrissy Newton is a PR professional and founder of VOCAB Communications. She hosts the Rebelliously Curious podcast, which can be found on The Debrief’s YouTube Channel. Follow her on X: @ChrissyNewton and at chrissynewton.com.