First Neuralink patient can control a mouse with their thoughts, says Elon Musk

Elon Musk has said the first human patient to receive a Neuralink brain chip implant was able to control a mouse successfully.

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It was on January 30 that Musk announced the first human to receive an implant from Neuralink, Musk's brain-chip implant company. At the time, Musk said the initial results from the brain-chip implant showed "promising neuron spike detection". For those who aren't sure what that exactly means, the National Institute of Health explains that cells use electrical and chemical signals to send information around the brain and body. These signals appear as spikes when fired by a neuron.

Additionally, Musk wrote on the same day he announced the first brain-chip patient transplant was successful that Neuralink will enable "control of your phone or computer, and through them almost any device, just by thinking". Now reports indicate the first brain-chip patient seems to have made a full recovery, with "no ill effects that we are aware of," per Musk in a recent Spaces event on X. Furthermore, Musk said the patient is able to "move a mouse around the screen by just thinking."

Musk elaborated further and said that Neuralink is now trying to get as many mouse button clicks as possible from the patient.