Sunday, June 29, 2025

Neuralink to Test Improved Brain Chip in Second Human Subject Next Week

Reuters-Yonhap News

In the coming week, Elon Musk’s neural science company Neuralink will implant a chip into the brain of its second human test subject. Neuralink is attempting surgical changes to resolve issues that arose during the first human trial in January. During the first trial, a problem arose when a portion of the wires connecting the chip to the brain fell out a few weeks after the surgery. This reduced the amount of data that could be collected from the brain.

During Musk’s live stream on July 10, Musk and the Neuralink executives stated, “We hope to implant brain-computer interface (BCI) chips into a single-digit number of patients, close to double digits, this year.”

For those who have suffered physical damage and have paralyzed limbs, Neuralink’s BCI chip is a device that controls various devices. Neuralink has developed the technology to implant BCI chips into the brain. For the first time in January, they implanted a BCI chip into the brain of the first human test subject, a patient with limb paralysis named Nolan Arbo.

The BCI is the size of a 25-cent coin, similar to a hockey puck. The round BCI contains a data processing chip, a battery, and a communication device. It also has 64 wires attached, each with 16 electrodes. The ends of the wires are thinner than a hair strand, and they are inserted into the brain’s motor cortex, connecting the BCI to the brain.

Musk explained that the first human test subject, Arbo, is functioning normally. Musk shared, “Despite this, he watches videos for up to 70 hours weekly.” He also emphasized, “He plays chess, video games, and reads books.”

However, he stated, “Arbo’s BCI is only operating at about 15%.” This is due to some of the wires connecting the BCI to the brain falling out after surgery. This is why Neuralink is changing its surgical methods for next week’s second human trial. Seo Dong Jin, Vice President of Neuralink, said, “Shaving off the surface of the skull to minimize the gap between the implant, which covers the BCI, and the skull is one of the changes in the surgical method.”

Neuralink plans to insert wires deeper into the brain to track how much movement the BCI induces. Dr. Matthew MacDougall, Head of Neurosurgery at Neuralink, said, “We will insert wires at various depths.”

Regarding this, an FDA spokesperson stated, “The FDA will continue to monitor the safety of Neuralink’s device through essential and regular reports.”

Meanwhile, it is known that no companies, including Neuralink, have received FDA approval to commercialize BCI devices.

Reuters-Yonhap News

Hot this week

Dow Dips, Nasdaq Gains as Wall Street Awaits Fed’s Next Move

The New York stock market closed mixed, with Nvidia hitting a record high while Tesla faced declining sales in Europe.

Nvidia Stock Pops Past $150, Beating Microsoft in Market Value

Nvidia's stock rose to 152.36 USD amid concerns over export restrictions to China, surpassing Microsoft’s market cap.

Nvidia Soars Despite CEO Share Sale, Tesla Tanks on Robotaxi Trouble

The New York stock market rises as Dow surpasses 43,000, Nvidia gains despite CEO stock sale, while Tesla and defense stocks decline.

Gold Prices Plunge as Iran and Israel Call for Ceasefire

Gold prices fell as geopolitical tensions eased between Israel and Iran, with analysts predicting potential future increases.

Oil Drops 4% on Israel-Iran Peace Talks and Supply Optimism

International oil prices dropped over 4% due to eased supply concerns and a ceasefire announcement between Israel and Iran.

Topics

Dow Dips, Nasdaq Gains as Wall Street Awaits Fed’s Next Move

The New York stock market closed mixed, with Nvidia hitting a record high while Tesla faced declining sales in Europe.

Nvidia Stock Pops Past $150, Beating Microsoft in Market Value

Nvidia's stock rose to 152.36 USD amid concerns over export restrictions to China, surpassing Microsoft’s market cap.

Nvidia Soars Despite CEO Share Sale, Tesla Tanks on Robotaxi Trouble

The New York stock market rises as Dow surpasses 43,000, Nvidia gains despite CEO stock sale, while Tesla and defense stocks decline.

Gold Prices Plunge as Iran and Israel Call for Ceasefire

Gold prices fell as geopolitical tensions eased between Israel and Iran, with analysts predicting potential future increases.

Oil Drops 4% on Israel-Iran Peace Talks and Supply Optimism

International oil prices dropped over 4% due to eased supply concerns and a ceasefire announcement between Israel and Iran.

TSMC Delays Kumamoto Factory Amid Traffic Concerns and Market Uncertainty

TSMC delays its second factory in Kumamoto, citing traffic issues, but market demand uncertainties may be the real reason behind it.

From Tensions to Tumbles: Oil Prices Sink While Iran Avoids Escalation

Oil prices dropped over 7% following Iran's airstrikes on U.S. bases, signaling a reluctance to escalate conflict despite tensions.

Volatility Index Falls Below 20 as U.S.–Iran Show Signs of De-Escalation

U.S. stock markets rose as tensions eased between the U.S. and Iran, while Tesla shares surged following its robotaxi launch.

Related Articles