Neuralink’s Brain Implant User Excels at Video Games

Neuralink announced that its first patient, Noland Arbaugh, has shown remarkable progress with their brain implant, allowing him to outperform others in video games. The implant, received in January, lets him control a laptop cursor remotely.

Initially playing games like Chess and Mario Kart, Arbaugh's skills have improved over time. He now says, "I'm beating my friends in games that, as a quadriplegic, I should not be beating them in."

Despite some challenges with retracted electrodes affecting performance, Neuralink's software adjustments helped Arbaugh reach new levels of accuracy and exceed his initial performance.

He recently live-streamed the calibration process on Twitter/X and plans more streams featuring PC games. Neuralink aims to enhance the implant's cursor control and expand its functionality to text entry, robotic arm control, and wheelchairs, providing more independence for people with mobility challenges.