She Lost Movement at 16. Neuralink Just Helped Her Write Again—Using Her Mind

The first woman to receive Elon Musk’s Neuralink implant, who has been paralyzed for more than two decades, has written her name for the first time in 20 years—using only her thoughts.

At age 16, Audrey Crews lost all ability to move. Now, she has become a participant in Neuralink’s PRIME Study, which aims to safely implant brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) in human trial participants and evaluate their performance. To date, fewer than 100 people worldwide have received a BCI implant.

Identified as “P9” in the study, Crews shared her thoughts on X (formerly Twitter), posting an image of her name—“Audrey”—scribbled on a laptop screen in violet digital handwriting.

“I tried writing my name for the first time in 20 years. I’m working on it. Lol #Neuralink,” she wrote.

People around the world, including musician and talk show host Kelly Clarkson, responded with encouragement. Elon Musk himself also commented on Crews’ accomplishment, writing: “She is controlling her computer just by thinking. Most people don’t realize this is possible.”

Neuralink’s “Link” device is roughly the size of a quarter and is implanted in the brain’s motor cortex. The procedure is invasive, requiring surgery, unlike other BCIs currently on the market that are non-invasive. Debate continues to swirl in the scientific community over which approach—surgical or non-invasive—will prove more effective in the long term.

In a follow-up post, Crews described her procedure in detail. “They drilled a hole in my skull and placed 128 threads into my motor cortex,” she wrote. While the Link allows her to control digital devices, it does not restore physical mobility.

“I also want to clarify this implant will not allow me to walk again or regain movement. It’s strictly for telepathy only,” she said. 

She also praised the medical team at the University of Miami Health Center for their care and professionalism.

“They treated me like a VIP,” she said.  

Clinical experts working alongside Neuralink have emphasized the importance of patient selection for such trials.

“Choosing the right patient for such a trial is crucial,” said Michael Lawton, CEO of the Barrow Neurological Institute, where Neuralink’s second implant was inserted.

“Everyone involved, both clinically and surgically, aims to ensure precision,” Lawton said in a statement.

Neuralink, founded in 2016, made headlines earlier in 2024 when Noland Arbaugh became the first human recipient of the Link. Arbaugh has reported largely positive experiences, though one issue arose last year when some threads connecting the interface to his brain retracted. Neuralink quickly addressed the problem, later stating that an algorithm update corrected the issue.

“I was not expecting it to be as good as it is. I think there were moments when I realized, like, ‘Oh, this is a much bigger deal than I thought it was,’” Arbaugh said earlier this year in a podcast interview with The Debrief.

As 2025 marks the first full year of Neuralink’s human BCI trials—and with competitors, including Chinese tech firms, close behind—it remains to be seen where this technology will lead, and which nations will take the lead in shaping its future.

Chrissy Newton is a PR professional and founder of VOCAB Communications. She currently appears on The Discovery Channel and Max and hosts the Rebelliously Curious podcast, which can be found on YouTube and on all audio podcast streaming platforms. Follow her on X: @ChrissyNewton, Instagram: @BeingChrissyNewton, and chrissynewton.com.