When you lose the use of your limbs, even the simplest gesture becomes an insurmountable mountain. Sending a text message, surfing the Internet, playing video games: everyday activities that become impossible challenges. Neuralink implants are among the technological developments that are rewriting this narrative.
A year later, three people with paralysis have demonstrated that thinking is enough to interact with the digital world. Where are we now?
The turning point of Neuralink implants
It is January 2024 when Noland becomes the first human being to receive a Neuralink implant. The device, called Link, is a completely implantable and invisible brain-computer interface from the outside, designed to restore autonomy to people with paralysis. To date, there are three pioneers who use this technology: in addition to Noland, there are Alex e Brad, all volunteers of the PRIME studio.
The three participants have accumulated over 670 days of total usage of their Neuralink implants, for a total of more than 4.900 hours. In the last month alone, they have used the Link independently for an average of 6,5 hours a day, demonstrating the practical usefulness of the device in everyday life.
The Story of Noland and the Digital Renaissance
Before the implant, Noland had suffered a spinal cord injury in a swimming pool accident, which left him paralyzed from the neck down. Forced to drop out of college, he returned home and was completely dependent on his family. His interaction with digital devices was limited to the use of a tablet controlled with a stylus held in his mouth, which required the assistance of a caregiver.
The Link has helped me reconnect with the world, my friends and my family. It has given me back the ability to do things on my own, without needing my family at all hours of the day and night.
Alex's experience and rediscovered creativity
Alex, paralyzed from the neck down after a car accident, has rediscovered his passion for design. Thanks to the Neuralink implant, he can now use CAD software and Adobe Illustrator to create 3D designs and graphics for the family business. He is also the first participant in the CONVOY studio, which explores the possibility of controlling robotic assistive devices.
I was a very creative person before the accident. Afterward, I was no longer able to be creative and it really hindered my drive to create. Having the BCI allows me to push the limits of what I can accomplish.
Brad and his newfound freedom
The story of Brad is particularly touching. Affected by advanced ALS, before the implant he could only communicate through an eye tracker, which required specific lighting conditions. Thanks to the Link, he can now interact with the computer in any environment, actively participating in family and social life.
The most significant thing that happened this week may seem strange to you: I was able to use the computer on the porch, and it worked!
The Future of Neuralink Implants
The experience of these three pioneers has demonstrated the potential of Neuralink implants to restore autonomy to people with severe motor limitations. The technology is continually evolving, with active clinical trials in the United States and Canada, and potential future studies in the United Kingdom. For those interested in participating, You can register through the Neuralink Patient Registry.
Feedback from early adopters was crucial to improving the design of the technology. As he said Noland in an interview with New Mobility:
We’re just scratching the surface of the capabilities and possibilities of this thing… I think it’s going to make a lot of people’s lives a lot better in the future, making them a lot more independent and a lot more capable of doing a lot of things.
While waiting for the Neuralink implants and the alternatives developed in other institutes (some even more promising and non-invasive, like this one from EPFL) we continue to cheer for these die-hard guys, who have decided to go beyond the limits, pushing the future further.
