Neuralink video shows quadriplegic patient who can play chess and video games with his...

[midian182]

What just happened? Elon Musk's Neuralink brain-computer interface company has posted a nine-minute video showing its first patient moving a mouse cursor and playing games on a screen using only the power of his mind.

Noland Arbaugh, a 29-year-old quadriplegic patient who was paralyzed eight years ago in a diving accident, was announced as the first Neuralink implant patient in January. A month later, Musk said Arbaugh had recovered and was already able to control a computer mouse with his thoughts alone.

Now, Neuralink has posted a video clip on X demonstrating what its technology allows Arbaugh to do. Joined by Neuralink engineer Bliss Chapman, who introduces Arbaugh as his only "telekinetic friend," Arbaugh says he loves playing chess, which he hasn't been able to enjoy much over the past few years. The Neuralink implant allows him to play the game on a screen just by thinking about moving the cursor.

https://t.co/OMIeGGjYtG

– Neuralink (@neuralink) March 20, 2024

Arbaugh compares his newfound ability to The Force. "I could get it to move wherever I wanted. Just stared somewhere on the screen and it would move where I wanted to, which was such a wild experience. It's crazy, it really is. It's so cool. I'm so freaking lucky to be a part of this…every day it seems like we're learning new stuff. I just can't describe how cool it is."

It's not just chess that Arbaugh is now able to enjoy. He says after learning how to use the system, which involved mentally "moving" his hands before concentrating solely on shifting the cursor, he stayed up until 6 a.m. playing Civilization 6 – something a lot of people will relate to. Arbaugh says he had previously given up on playing Civ 6 as much as he wanted as the size and time-sink nature of the game prevented him from having lengthy sessions due to his condition.

Arbaugh did add that the Neuralink implant has run into issues and he has to recharge it every 8 hours, though he emphasized that the chip has changed his life.

It's been noted that several companies have developed brain-computer interface chips with the same abilities as Neuralink's and implanted them in patients. Dr. Nader Pouratian, chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center, told CNBC, "There are things that we've been able to do for decades, like control a cursor in two dimensions, which actually, for those of us who are in the field, is extremely simple to do as soon as you can get any brain signal."

Musk has talked about Neuralink tech allowing users to stream music directly into their brains or record everything that happens and play it back whenever they want, much like a certain Black Mirror episode.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/102343-neuralink-video-shows-quadriplegic-patient-who-can-play.html

 

[Uncle Al]

The only problem is that Musk did it. That means in the future you can count on all kinds of "games" from over charging to manipulation of the data and very possibly the person. The Government better enact some very strict measures and tight monitoring or a lot of people will be harmed ....

 

[Ashford]

Wait until he finds out Elon implemented two-way comms and now the computer can control him too.

Guy is the Lex Luthor of our time.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

The only problem is that Musk did it. That means in the future you can count on all kinds of "games" from over charging to manipulation of the data and very possibly the person. The Government better enact some very strict measures and tight monitoring or a lot of people will be harmed ....

Wait until he finds out Elon implemented two-way comms and now the computer can control him too.

Guy is the Lex Luthor of our time.

Christ Elon could cure cancer and you'd still be trying to make this guy the next Moustache Man.

 

[Ashford]

Christ Elon could cure cancer and you'd still be trying to make this guy the next Moustache Man.

I'm not saying he'll build in a kill switch... but the brain is a sensitive, hyper-adaptive mesh of neurons and connections...

If he can read the little electrical impulses that collectively compose "a thought translated to an action" - why wouldn't you be able to replicate that impulse and hence irreversibly train/change a human beings' perception of reality?

 

[Kotters]

I'm not saying he'll build in a kill switch... but the brain is a sensitive, hyper-adaptive mesh of neurons and connections...

If he can read the little electrical impulses that collectively compose "a thought translated to an action" - why wouldn't you be able to replicate that impulse and hence irreversibly train/change a human beings' perception of reality?

Why spend so much time chasing something as abstract as that when you can do the same thing with a news headline?

 

[BbN48]

Pffft!

Civ 5 is the superior game.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

I'm not saying he'll build in a kill switch... but the brain is a sensitive, hyper-adaptive mesh of neurons and connections...

If he can read the little electrical impulses that collectively compose "a thought translated to an action" - why wouldn't you be able to replicate that impulse and hence irreversibly train/change a human beings' perception of reality?

Because, if you want to brainwash a population, there are plenty of tried and true propaganda tactics you can use. When you can push your narrative through the media you consume, whether it be books, games, TV, movies, or music, through your education system, through controlled opposition, protests, celebrities, enforced via training from employers, the list goes on; why on EARTH would you use expensive, risky, and blatantly obvious medical procedures to implant a magical thought processor?

Furthermore, it's Elon Musk, not Stalin or Mao. What incentive does he have to install brain control chips? He's an industrialist, not a supervillain. Buying twitter and enforcing the 1st amendment does not make someone a Bond villan. Thinking that, ironically, shows someone has been bitten by the brainwashing from millions of jealous, damaged people who see everything as a right wing conspiracy to take over the world with....musk brain chips.

People read too many science fiction dystopia novels.

Pffft!

Civ 5 is the superior game.

I much prefer 5, 6's city specialization is a neat idea, but not worth an entire game, especially when the AI is still totally wack. If I can beat an AI's entire invasion force with 2 dudes sitting on forts on hills, you cant call that "intelligence" of any sort.

I'd like to think that CIV VII will fix these issues, but after 3 games I am not holding my breath.

 

[erickmendes]

Now I don't need to type to complain in X.

 

[Ohnooze]

I knew before I got down to the comments that this would turn into a stupid "I cry because of evil Elon" comment section. Sure enough it took only one comment to kick it off.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Now I don't need to type to complain in X.

But what happens when I want to shatpost on Facebook? Will the zuck chip produce organic IRQ errors with the musk membrane?

 

[kiwigraeme]

As stated this is not new and if have nerves functioning to say an arm , is enough and probably safer
Also skull caps with sensors can do this , with feedback loop training , so both safer techniques as less invasive,
Still must be great for this patient to have greater output to control their world .

The question is does Elon want this for fully functioning able body people .
Is it necessary with AI improving with words , eye movements and gestures being enough
Think about a raised military map and General giving instructions - it's so lower officer placing troops, tanks on the table . General is standing back taking it in . No troops will be better near the tree line

 

[sreams]

As stated this is not new and if have nerves functioning to say an arm , is enough and probably safer
Also skull caps with sensors can do this , with feedback loop training , so both safer techniques as less invasive,
Still must be great for this patient to have greater output to control their world .

The question is does Elon want this for fully functioning able body people .
Is it necessary with AI improving with words , eye movements and gestures being enough
Think about a raised military map and General giving instructions - it's so lower officer placing troops, tanks on the table . General is standing back taking it in . No troops will be better near the tree line

This is designed to eventually provide far, far more detailed communication than a skull cap.

 

[richalone442]

I guess I am in the minority here again. after watching the video, I got a feeling that something wonderful has happened. This is a great advance in the care of injured people, and most likely the elderly too.
Of coarse, I see Elon Musk as a benefit to our society, and civilization, this is the way entrepreneurs should act, and use their wealth, to advance mankind,, we have to determine the reach of this technology the same as all the others.
DO NO HARM is rule #1

 

[BbN48]

I much prefer 5, 6's city specialization is a neat idea, but not worth an entire game, especially when the AI is still totally wack. If I can beat an AI's entire invasion force with 2 dudes sitting on forts on hills, you cant call that "intelligence" of any sort.

I'd like to think that CIV VII will fix these issues, but after 3 games I am not holding my breath.

If we can get a modestly improved game with 5's more realistic art style and great graphics, I'll be happy. And no ****ing "humorous" quotes from Sean Bean or the like. Christ that was bad.

 

[quadibloc]

Whatever you might think of Elon Musk, or his politics, or his stewardship of Twitter, this is a wonderful development that will provide hope to many unfortunate people.