Neuralink—Neuralink successfully implanted first human brain-computer interface enabling quadriplegic to control devices
On January 28, 2024, Neuralink implanted its Telepathy device in Noland Arbaugh, a 29-year-old quadriplegic, at Barrow Neurological Institute. Arbaugh was released the next day without needing pain medication. On his first day using the device, he beat the 2017 world record for BCI cursor speed and precision. By September 2025, 12 trial participants had accumulated 2,000+ days and 15,000 hours of usage. Trials expanded to US, Canada, UK, and UAE. The FDA also granted 'breakthrough' status to Neuralink's Blindsight device for restoring vision.
Scoring Impact
| Topic | Direction | Relevance | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accessibility | +toward | primary | +1.00 |
| Human-Centered AI | +toward | secondary | +0.50 |
| Overall incident score = | +0.885 | ||
Score = avg(topic contributions) × significance (critical ×2) × confidence (0.59)
Evidence (1 signal)
Neuralink's first human patient Noland Arbaugh demonstrated breakthrough brain-computer interface control
Noland Arbaugh, a 29-year-old quadriplegic, received Neuralink's Telepathy implant on January 28, 2024. He was released the next day without needing pain medication and broke the 2017 BCI cursor speed record on his first day of use.