The initial recipient of Neuralink’s brain implant experienced an emotional moment when he discovered a malfunction in the device. Noland Arbaugh shared with Bloomberg that he was initially disheartened upon learning about the issue, feeling as though his journey with the implant was being cut short. He had noticed a delay between his thoughts and the movement of a computer cursor, leading Neuralink to diagnose a problem with the device’s wires, or “threads,” pulling away from his brain.
Expressing his initial disappointment, Arbaugh conveyed his belief that his time with the implant was prematurely ending. However, he was pleasantly surprised when Neuralink addressed the issue in a recent blog post, announcing not only the resolution of the malfunction but also enhancements to the implant’s functionality. Despite facing challenges, Arbaugh, who is quadriplegic, has found significant benefits from the implant, enabling him to engage in activities such as web surfing, gaming, and laptop control from his bed—opportunities previously inaccessible to him.
