WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Elon Musk-owned Neuralink said that its first brain implant device developed a problem as several neural activity-recording threads retracted from the patient's brain.
In January, the neurotechnology startup implanted 'telepathy', a device designed to be implanted in the skull, with ultra-thin wires, connecting it with a region of the brain that controls movement intention.
After the successful implant, the company shared a video on X/Twitter showing its patient Noland Arbaugh moving a mouse and playing chess on the computer with his mind.
But a few weeks after the surgery, Neuralink noticed that a number of threads retracted from Arbaugh's brain, reducing the number of effective electrodes and leaving the patient unable to move cursor with his mind.
'In response to this change, we modified the recording algorithm to be more sensitive to neural population signals, improved the techniques to translate these signals into cursor movements, and enhanced the user interface,' Neuralink said.
The company said that the adjustments have improved bits-per-second, a unit to measure speed and accuracy of cursor speed.
Neuralink also considered removing the implant, but later discarded the idea as the malfunction has not yet posed a serious threat to the 29-year-old patient's safety, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Meanwhile, the company's blog post also highlighted that the device has helped Arbaugh to 'reconnect with the world'.
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