'Demonstrating telepathy': Neuralink's first brain chip patient plays chess with his mind

Elon Musk's brain chip startup Neuralink on Wednesday live-streamed its first patient playing an online chess game using the company's chip implant to move the mouse.

Neuralink is testing its brain implant technology for "people with paralysis to control external devices with their thoughts".

Reposting the video, Musk said, "Livestream of @Neuralink demonstrating “Telepathy” – controlling a computer and playing video games just by thinking."



Who is the patient?

The first human trial for Neuralink is Noland Arbaugh, a 29-year-old patient who was paralysed below the shoulder after a diving accident.

In a live stream on Musk's social media platform X, Arbaugh said the surgery to implant the chip in his brain was "super easy". "I literally was released from the hospital a day later. I have no cognitive impairments," he said.

Talking about the Civilization VI game, Arbaugh said he had given up playing altogether. "You all (Neuralink) gave me the ability to do that again and played for 8 hours straight."

Arbaugh said the new tech isn't flawless, mentioning challenges they are encountering. However, he stressed this is an ongoing process and the benefits he's experienced are undeniable.

How does this work?

In February, Neuralink had announced that its first human patient was implanted with a brain chip from Neuralink, and had fully recovered. The company had said the patient is able to control a computer mouse using his thoughts.

The company uses a robot to surgically place a brain-computer interface (BCI) implant in a region of the brain that controls the intention to move, Neuralink has explained previously. A BCI is a system that deciphers brain signals and translates them into commands for external technologies.

The implants' "ultra-fine" threads help transmit signals in participants' brains, Neuralink has said.

Plans for Telepathy

Musk had said in January that Telepathy would be Neuralink's first product.


"Enables control of your phone or computer, and through them almost any device, just by thinking. Initial users will be those who have lost the use of their limbs. Imagine if Stephen Hawking could communicate faster than a speed typist or auctioneer. That is the goal," his post read.