First human with brain chip plays computer game with his mind in astonishing video
Footage of the first person to use Elon Musk’s Neuralink brain chip implant used to control a computer cursor and play video games just by thinking has been released.
Noland Arbaugh, 29, who is paraplegic, can be seen using his mind to play a game of chess on the video posted to X.
He said from his wheelchair: ‘See that cursor on the screen? That’s all me… it’s all brainpower.’
During the clip, he can be seen beaming with happiness as he showed how he could move the mouse side to side.
He even likened it to using ‘The Force’ like in the Star Wars films.
Noland added: ‘I’m so freaking lucky to be a part of this, everyday it feels like we’re learning new stuff.’
Noland suffered from a ‘freak driving accident’ that left him paralysed from the shoulders down eight years ago.
The 29-year-old used to play chess before his injury while working at a children’s camp in Texas in 2016.
He said: ‘This is one of the things that y’all have enabled me to do… I wasn’t really able to do much the last few years.’
For Halloween this year he plans to dress as Professor X, from X-Men, a paraplegic mutant who can move objects telepathically.
Nolan added: ‘I don’t want anyone to think that this is the end of the journey, there’s still a lot of work to be done.
‘But it has already changed my life, and I think that people who are thinking about applying for the human trials, or are thinking about finding some way to help out with this, to do your part.
‘That’s the reason I got into it, because I just wanted to help. I want to be a part of something that I feel is going to change the world.’
It is hoped Musk’s development will help revolutionise care for the disabled.
Musk announced a month ago that the chip had successfully been implanted in a person.
He said in a Spaces event on X: ‘Progress is good and the patient seems to have made a full recovery, with neural effects that we are aware of.’
He reposted the clip of Arbaugh using ‘telepathy’ on Wednesday, along with the caption: ‘Livestream of Neuralink demonstrating ‘Telepathy’ – controlling a computer and playing video games just by thinking.’
The Neuralink brain chip implant works by a robot placing the implant in a region of the brain that controls movement.
It involves an operation where the robot removes a small chunk of the skull and connecting the electrodes from the chip to certain areas of the brain.
The robot then stitches up any visible holes so that a tiny incision is the only visible scar left.
The whole procedure takes just 30 minutes, according to Mr Musk, and patients can return home the same day.
Neuralink has not been without its controversies though after it was found thousands of animals are tested on, with monkeys having holes drilled in their heads and filled with glue.
Monkeys also had parts of their limbs amputated and were put down after having diarrhea and vomiting.
Neuralink is responsible for the deaths of 1,500 animals, like sheep and pigs.
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