Neuralink's latest implant user designs 3D objects and plays Counter-Strike 2 with Brain-Computer Interface

Neuralink, Elon Musk’s brain-computer interface company, has announced that the second human recipient of their implant is now using the chip to design 3D objects and play the popular video game Counter-Strike 2, reported TOI. The company reported that this new patient, unlike the first, Noland Arbaugh, did not encounter the 'thread retraction issues' previously experienced.

In a blog post, Neuralink highlighted that the new recipient, Alex, has found joy in playing first-person shooter games, which typically require managing multiple inputs such as two joysticks for aiming and movement, along with various buttons.

“Alex also enjoys playing first-person shooter games, which generally require the use of numerous inputs, including two separate joysticks (one for aiming and the other for moving) and an array of buttons,” read the post.


Previously, Alex used a Quadstick—a mouth-operated joystick with pressure sensors and a lip position sensor—for gameplay. However, the Quadstick’s single joystick limited him to either moving or aiming at any given time, necessitating a switch between functions by releasing the joystick and using a straw to toggle, noted the TOI report.

“Just running around is so enjoyable because I can look side to side, and not need to move Quadstick left and right… I can [think about where to] look and it goes where I want it to. It's insane,” Alex, a participant in the PRIME Study, remarked.

Neuralink is also working on expanding the capabilities of its brain-computer interface, Link. Currently, Link enables users to control computer cursors, but future updates aim to allow users to control multiple devices simultaneously and increase typing speeds through thought alone.

Musk has expressed ambitious goals for Neuralink, predicting that if progress continues smoothly, the number of people with Neuralink implants could reach hundreds in a few years, tens of thousands within five years, and potentially millions in a decade.

"Update about the second Neuralink device in a human. If all goes well, there will be hundreds of people with Neuralinks within a few years, maybe tens of thousands within 5 years, millions within 10 years," his post on X read.