Neuralink knew that chip failure in a human patient had already occurred in animals

Now a Reuters investigation has found that Elon Musk’s company has known about the problem with the tiny cables for years, according to five people familiar with the matter.

The company knew from animal testing on pigs, sheep and monkeys before US approval last year that the cables could retract, removing with them the sensitive electrodes that decode cerebral signals. According to Reuters sources, despite the design flaw, Neuralink considered the risk low enough to abandon the prototype and upgrade it. At the end of 2022, it was revealed that Neuralink was under open investigation in the United States due to its testing on animals. According to reports, the company has killed about 1,500 animals, including more than 280 sheep, pigs and monkeys, in experiments carried out since 2018.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was aware of the potential problem with the cables because Neuralink had to share animal test results as part of its request to begin human trials. However, one of the sources explains that the FDA declined to comment on whether it was aware of the problem or its possible significance. The agency told Reuters it will continue to monitor the safety of patients included in the Neuralink trial.

If Neuralink had continued testing without redesigning the algorithm, it could have run into problems if more threads were disabled and its tuning was insufficient, one of the people said. But if they don’t redesign it, it’s because it would entail risks. For example, attaching them to the brain could cause damage to brain tissue if the threads become detached or if the company has to remove the device, two of the sources said.

The company tried to design the threads so they could be easily removed so the implant could be updated over time as technology improved, current and former employees say.

According to outside researchers and sources who have worked at Neuralink and other medical device companies, companies in the sector routinely address issues with various designs during animal testing, as well as issues that arise during clinical trials and animal testing. Experts who have studied brain implants say the problem of string movement can be difficult to solve, in part because of the mechanics of how the brain moves inside the skull.

Move technology with your mind

From the outset, the goal of this Neuralink chip was to test an implant that would give paralyzed patients the ability to use digital devices simply by thinking, a prospect that could help people with spinal cord injuries.

The signals are translated into actions, such as moving a mouse cursor across a computer screen. The company said it was able to restore the implant’s ability to track a patient’s brain signals by making changes, including modifying its algorithm to make it more sensitive.

In January, Neuralink implanted the device in the brain of its first patient, Noland Arbeau, who was paralyzed from the shoulders down due to a diving accident in 2016. At the moment, the device allows a man to play video games, use the Internet and move around. his cursor on your laptop just by thinking.

Writing on its official website, Neuralink states that shortly after the intervention, Arbo broke the world record for the speed with which he can control a cursor with just a thought.

Musk is already looking for his second candidate

Aware of the design flaws, but falling on deaf ears, Elon Musk announced this Friday that he is already looking for volunteers to become the second patient with the neural chip.

The mogul did this by responding to a Neuralink video where Arbaugh explains his feelings and improvements after getting the device installed in January.