Elon Musk's Neuralink Shows First Brain-Chip Patient Playing Online Chess

Neuralink, Elon Musk's brain-chip startup, broadcasted a live stream featuring its inaugural patient who underwent a chip implantation and engaged in online chess gameplay.

The individual, Noland Arbaugh, aged 29, had experienced paralysis from the shoulders down due to a diving incident. Using the Neuralink device, he operated a laptop to play chess, maneuvering the cursor with his mind.

In January, Arbaugh received an implant from Neuralink, enabling him to manipulate a computer mouse solely through his thoughts, as highlighted by Musk in a previous announcement.

Arbaugh, speaking in the video broadcasted on Musk's social media platform X, discussed the implant procedure, stating, "I was discharged from the hospital just a day later. I have no cognitive impairments."

Reportedly, the US Food and Drug Administration discovered issues with record-keeping and quality controls for animal experiments at Neuralink, shortly after the startup announced clearance to test its brain implants in humans.