Elon Musk's Neuralink claims first brain-chip patient plays chess: 'Like using the force'
Elon Musk's Neuralink company released a video of a paralyzed man appearing to move a computer cursor with his mind to play chess.
Musk is introducing the world to what Neuralink says is their first patient with a brain-computer implant.
Noland Arbaugh, 29, who received the implant in January, is seen during the live stream directing the computer to make his moves.
"It was like using the force," Arbaugh said. "I love playing chess and this is something y'all have enabled me to do -- something I haven't been able to do the last few years."
Musk says the goal of the startup is to help people living with debilitating conditions including paralysis to communicate and control external devices with their thoughts.
The company says the device is designed to interpret yout neural activity so you can operate a computer or a smartphone by simply thinking.
The Food and Drug Administration approved Neuralink for human trials in May.
Last year, Swiss researchers combined artificial intelligence and brain and spine implants to help a man paralyzed in a motorcycle accident walk again.
MORE | Paralyzed man walks again with help of 'brain bridge' implant: VIDEO
In August, a woman who had lost her voice to paralysis was able to have a conversation with her husband again -- with the help of a mind-controlled avatar.
Arbaugh, who became a quadriplegic after a diving accident, says there's still a long way to go.
'It's not perfect," Arbaugh said. "I would say that we have run into some issues. I don't want people to think that this is the end of the journey, there's still a lot of work to be done, but it has already changed my life."
