Neuralink teases Optimus robot integration, lines up second brain implant

Neuralink is preparing to install its brain implant in a second person six months after “successfully” doing so in another test patient, according to company cofounder Elon Musk. The billionaire teased the possibility of combining Neuralink’s technology with Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot.

Also read: Tesla’s Optimus Gen 2. A leap towards human robotics

Musk announced the update during an X (formerly Twitter) livestream on Wednesday. He was flanked by Neuralink vice president Dongjin ‘DJ’ Seo, Matthew MacDougall, head of neurosurgery, and other team members.

The second implant comes despite the first’s problems

Musk, who co-founded Neuralink in 2016, said that preparations for the second brain implant are underway. While Musk did not name the second human patient, he mentioned that the procedure is likely to take place sometime “next week or so.”

Improved version of @Neuralink update
pic.twitter.com/zk3cdbMtEC

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 11, 2024

Noland Arbaugh was the first person to receive the brain implant by Neuralink in January, in an experiment dubbed ‘Telepathy.’ The 31-year-old suffered a serious spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed from the neck down during a swimming accident in 2016.

Musk said that since getting the implant Arbaugh has been able to play video games like Civilization using only his mind to control the functions. However, some of the 64 “threads” implanted into his brain disconnected one week after the surgery. The company considered removing the chip at the time, according to reports.

During the X livestream, it was mentioned that 15% of the so-called channels in Arbaugh’s brain implant are still working fine. The company revealed that it fixed several issues that emerged with Arbaugh, including reduced brain response due to loose thread connections.

Musk said that the company tries to improve its science to avoid repeat incidents in between patients,. That includes putting “threads” deeper into the brain and see how it moves. The company also plans to create a smaller gap under the skull by sculpting the surface of the skull.

The procedure is meant to create a connection between the human mind and computers, assisting those with paralysis and longstanding physical conditions to perform daily tasks, Musk added.

Redefining the boundaries of human capability requires pioneers.

If you have quadriplegia and want to explore new ways of controlling your computer, we invite you to participate in our clinical trial. pic.twitter.com/svqfAkVV1M

— Neuralink (@neuralink) May 16, 2024

Neuralink to shorten implant process to 10 mins

According to Neuralink, its first implant ‘Telepathy’ uses 1,024 electrodes in 64 flexible leads or threads. Each can be installed separately into the brain. However, due to the complex nature of the implants, the startup leverages AI-powered surgical robots instead of human surgeons.

Also read: AI technology speeds up brain tumor diagnosis during surgery

Musk and his team plan to make the surgery more efficient so that that process takes as little as 10 minutes.

“The device implantation needs to become more automatic, in the same way that with Lasik eye surgery, you don’t have an ophthalmologist with a laser cutter by hand,” Musk detailed. “The ophthalmologist oversees the Lasik machine and makes sure that the settings are correct.”

Musk: Optimus combination gives humans “superpowers”

Neuralink is aiming for what it calls ‘smart living’ – a situation where it will be difficult to tell if a person has a Nueralink implant or not. Actions that will be enabled include telepathy and controlling devices.

“We want to give people superpowers, it is not just restoring your prior brain functionality but that you have functionality, far greater than a human being,” Musk said.

The founder of Tesla and SpaceX teased the possibility of combining Neuralink’s technology with Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot, which is eagerly anticipated in the tech world. He said if someone lost their arms or legs, “we can attach an Optimus arm or Optimus leg.”

This will be followed by a Neuralink implant “so that motor commands that would go to your biological arms will now go to your robot arms or robot legs.” Musk described the future functionality as “cybernetic superpowers.”

Optimus folds a shirt pic.twitter.com/3F5o3jVLq1

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 15, 2024

The Optimus is still in the development stage. However, it was exhibited at the China AI Conference a few days after Musk told Tesla shareholders that it would take the company’s market cap to $25 trillion.

Neuralink says a cure for paralysis is not available now. The company has experimented with placing a second brain chip into the spinal cord of an animal. It said results have been positive and could be replicated in humans, but that will not happen for many years to come.