The idea of controlling technology, or anything really, with one’s mind has either been relegated to cyberpunk sci-fi or a faint possibility in the far future. The same can be said about technological implants in the human body, but both are amazingly a reality. Humans have been getting closer and closer to making technology a part of biology in the last few decades. Whether it be pacemakers or cochlear implants, humanity is edging closer to a possible symbiosis with silicone, and that is where Neuralink comes in. Neuralink is at the forefront of the idea of implanting tech into the brain and has proven that a person can control their laptop / PC with their mind or even play video games.
Neuralink is a medical technology company owned by the famous, but controversial, Elon Musk, who also happens to own X / Twitter. The company held a livestream on X recently that showcased an actual human living with the Neuralink implant in his brain who can control his laptop and play video games like chess and even Civilization VI.
The name of the person who got the implant is Noland Arbaugh, who became a quadriplegic after an unfortunate accident. He hasn’t been able to use anything below his shoulders since his tragic injury. Being a fan of games, he used to play video games and board games before his accident. He even continued to play chess after losing control of his limbs with the assistance of his family. But now, he can be seen controlling his computer by himself. In fact, he’s even been playing games like chess, and has spent hours in Civilization VI, one of his favorites.
How Does Neuralink Work & When Can You Start Playing Video Games With Your Mind?
Before you ready yourself to own noobs in Call of Duty without lifting a finger, Neuralink is still in its early stages of development. Being a medical device, it will have to go through the appropriately arduous process of FDA approval. You’re probably wondering how it works or feels. Well, according to Arbaugh, he has to imagine the cursor moving, and that intention alone is what completes the action. This isn’t like eye tracking that we’ve seen before. It is genuinely thought, turned into action.
The implant can be installed into anyone with a brain (which rules out everyone who plays Fortnite… I’m here all week, folks!) and is as small as a fingernail. It works by inserting over a thousand tiny wires, called electrodes, into the brain. These read and send signals, turning them into data. It can then communicate with a smartphone or a laptop via Bluetooth. Installing the Neuralink brain chip isn’t possible for a human to do due to the complexity of the human brain and the dangers involved. So, the company has developed a robot that does the surgery itself with little to no human involvement.
As for charging, the patient will thankfully not need a USB-C port in their head. The charger can attach to the skull and charge the implant wirelessly overnight. Neuralink is still hard at work in realizing the full potential of this cutting-edge technology. The likely implementation we’ll see within the next few years should allow physically limited individuals like Arbaugh to regain the abilities they’ve lost. But Elon has far-reaching plans about combining human consciousness with AI and becoming a higher digital form of life, something that is far too complicated for anyone to predict at this point.
