Welcome to 2024, where the wildest concepts of yesteryear’s sci-fi movies are today’s cutting-edge technology. One such piece of mind-boggling technology is coming from Neuralink. They surgically implant a device the size of a large coin into people’s brains, intending to restore mobility and sight to people who are paralyzed or blind. 

As one can imagine, getting a brain implant to restore lost functions is challenging and requires a lot of number crunching. It’s a task that Elon Musk and his Neuralink team are asking the general public for help with. 

A Matter Of Data Compression

In asking the public to help with its data compression needs, the company has launched the Neuralink Compression Challenge. Talented engineers can submit solutions and potential compression algorithms to [email protected]. According to the webpage, they are looking for a solution that can run in “real-time” and at “low power.”

Overall, the webpage and its instructions are sparse, “Your submission will be scored on the compression ratio it achieves on a different set of electrode recordings. Bonus points for optimizing latency and power efficiency. Submit with source code and build script. Should at least build on Linux.” 

It’s worth noting that even though Neuralink is looking to work with “exceptional engineers” to solve their “compression problem,” their webpage does not mention potential compensation, rights, or ownership for the winning solution. Considering how valuable a winning solution could be, those details should be clear to engineers submitting solutions.   

Background On The Implant 

According to Neuralink, the current device, known as the N1 Implant, can record neural activity through over 1,000 electrodes. The device distributes these electrodes across 64 “flexible threads,” which they describe as “thinner than a human hair.” They can “independently” position these threads around the brain with a surgical robot called the R1 Robot. 

Neuralink states these threads’ small, flexible nature makes them safer for patients. Thanks to the reliability and precision of the R1 Robots, the thread’s “electrodes can be placed near neurons of interest,” according to Neuralink. Signals from these electrodes can wirelessly transmit from the N1 Implant to a Neuralink Application on a computer or external device. In other words, someone with the N1 Implant can control a cursor on a computer screen using “telepathy.” 

The Prime Study

According to Neuralink, the FDA gave them the green light to proceed with their Precise Robotically Implanted Brain-Computer Interface (PRIME) study, which involves surgically implanting the N1 device in a human brain in May 2023. It’s an approval that came after extensive preparation, which included the creation of custom hardware, software, and testing methods necessary to move forward to human clinical study. 

This clinical study aims to test the initial abilities of their brain-computer interface (BCI), which can enable quadriplegic individuals to “control external devices with their thoughts,” according to Neuralink. The tech company began recruiting potential patients for their PRIME Study in September 2023.

Human Trials Begin

The first person to receive the N1 Implant was a paralyzed man, Noland Arbaugh. The surgery took place at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona, according to Neuralink. They report that the surgery went “extremely well,” with Arbaugh returning home the next day. Neuralink describes his recovery process as “very smooth.”

Arbaugh talks about his post-surgery experience in a video where he can play chess and music on his computer “using his brain.” He describes the experience as “being able to use ‘the force’ on a [computer] cursor.” He also noted that he feels no cognitive impairments since the procedure.   

The president and CEO of the Barrow Neurological Institute, Michael T. Lawton, MD, commented on the groundbreaking nature of what they’re doing with Neuralink, “This operation is an impressive engineering feat and an important advancement in neurosurgery because it paves the way for new, non-biological treatments for patients with severe neurological impairments. The PRIME Study will likely be viewed as ushering in an era of brain-computer interface, or direct interaction between thoughts and implantable technology.”

But Is This Too Good To Be True? 

According to a report from The Debrief, sources recently told The Wall Street Journal the N1 Implant could be at risk of “wire retraction.” That means the electrodes the device uses to decode brain signals could detach. However, Neuralink does not consider the risk of this happening likely enough to warrant redesigning the N1 Implant. They reached this conclusion after U.S. officials gave the device approval in 2019. 

Their report states that a source familiar with Neuralink recently told The Wall Street Journal that the tech company plans to handle this potential issue by implanting the N1’s wires deeper into the brain. Neuralink will perform the implant on a second patient in a few weeks. The company expects as many as ten patients to participate in their PRIME clinical trials before the end of this year.

As of this writing, more than 1,000 potential patients have registered with Neuralink to receive the N1 Implant. Even if you’re not a fan of Tesla’s controversial CEO, it’s hard not to admit that what he and the team at Neuralink are doing is exciting in its potential to help quadriplegic individuals.