Article Neuralink’s FDA troubles are just the beginning ("Left sics the dogs on Elon" style)

[Yazata]

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/25DgJNGwC0g

[Yazata]

Neuralink has completed implant surgery on a second quadriplegic test subject (using a Neuralink-designed surgical robot). This is a young man named Alex and results with him appear to be just as promising as with Noland, the first subject.

Alex is playing video games and is learning to use CAD software with his mind.

PRIME study update here:

https://neuralink.com/blog/prime-study-p...rticipant/

Elon says that he anticipates that tens of thousands of people will have the implants in five years.

[Yazata]

Neuralink just received Breakthrough Device designation from the FDA to proceed with expedited development of the Neuralink Blindsight device to restore (some) vision to the blind by direct stimulation of a patient's visual cortex.

[Image: GXs15aPWIAAlLRU?format=jpg&name=small]

[Yazata]

Elon says:

"The Blindsight device from Neuralink will enable even those who have lost both eyes and their optic nerve to see.

Provided the visual cortex is intact, it will even enable those who have been blind from birth to see for the first time.

To set expectations correctly, the vision will at first be low resolution, like Atari graphics, but eventually it has the potential be better than natural vision and enable you to see in infrared, ultraviolet or even radar wavelengths, like Geordi La Forge.

Much appreciated, @US_FDA !"

The kind of resolution to expect at first:

http://www.gratuitousscience.com/wp-cont...Run-02.png

Elon doesn't mention it here, but Blindsight also has the potential to feed video game graphics direct into the visual cortex, making virtual reality much more real, Matrix-style.

The cyberpunk future in which the coolest kids have USB ports installed in their heads is surely coming

[Yazata]

Neuralink says:

"We’re happy to announce that Health Canada has approved the launch of our first clinical trial in Canada! Recruitment is now open.

If you have quadriplegia due to ALS or SCI, you may qualify. Visit our Patient Registry to learn more and apply."

https://x.com/neuralink/status/1859321866944401727

[Yazata]

Neuralink says:

"We’re happy to announce that Health Canada has approved the launch of our first clinical trial in Canada! Recruitment is now open.

The Canadian implants will be installed at University Health network's Toronto Western Hospital.

https://www.uhn.ca/corporate/News/PressR...alink.aspx

[Syne]

Installed at or by? Seems to indicate the hospital will "perform the procedure." I would hate to trust brain surgery to state-run healthcare.

[Yazata]

Neuralink says:

"We’re excited to announce the approval and launch of a new feasibility trial to extend BCI control using the N1 Implant to an investigational assistive robotic arm.

This is an important first step towards restoring not only digital freedom, but also physical freedom. More info to come, but the CONVOY Study will enable cross-enrolling participants from the ongoing PRIME Study."

https://x.com/neuralink/status/1861107594645119006

[Yazata]

The Neuralink patient registry is now open worldwide.

"If you have quadriplegia and are interested in exploring groundbreaking ways to control a computer using your thoughts, you can now sign up from anywhere in the world."

https://neuralink.com/patient-registry/

[Yazata]

Bradford Smith, the third Neuralink patient. He's the first one with ALS (the same disease that Stephen Hawking had). Also the first one who is nonverbal, unable to speak. Being able to operate a computer keyboard with his mind has put him back in communication with his family and the world, a big thing.

He describes it in the video in the post below. The voice is AI generated by xAI's Grok based on recordings of Bradford's voice from when he could speak. Bradford says that typing what he wants to say is too slow for real-time conversation, so Neuralink has xAI's Grok suggest things to say in response to the conversation for Bradford to click on if he likes the suggestion. He says some of Grok's suggestions are very witty.

https://x.com/ALScyborg/status/1916630186382291242