Neuralink reaches new milestone with third brain-chip implant Musk outlines future plans

Neuralink has successfully implanted its brain-chip device in a third patient, marking a significant milestone for the company. 

“We currently have three people with Neuralink implants, and all of them are functioning well,” Musk revealed during an event in Las Vegas, which was streamed on social media platform X, Caliber.Az reports referencing foreign media.

Looking ahead, Musk shared that the company plans to carry out another 20-30 implants in 2025.

This announcement follows the successful implantation of a Neuralink chip in the second patient in August 2024. Musk highlighted that the device in the second patient includes 400 functional electrodes, with the device containing over 1,000 electrodes in total.

Neuralink, which has been developing its brain-machine interface since 2016, creates a small coin-sized chip with electrodes that can transmit brain signals via Bluetooth. This technology allows users to control external devices, such as computers or smartphones, directly using brain impulses. The electrodes are attached to the skull, with thread-like extensions reaching into the brain.

The first patient to receive the implant was Nolan Arbaugh, a 30-year-old paralyzed from the shoulders down due to a diving accident eight years ago. His implant surgery took place in January 2024.

In 2024, Neuralink planned to conduct implants for eight more patients. Musk envisions that, within the next decade, millions of people will be able to benefit from this neurochip technology.

Currently, Neuralink has two studies registered with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Prime Study, which aims to include five patients, enables paralyzed individuals to control external devices such as smartphones and computers through their minds. A second study, Convoy, is set for three patients, with the goal of allowing them to control assistive devices like robotic arms.

By Tamilla Hasanova