The first human to have a Neuralink brain-computer interface fitted by Elon Musk's firm has spilled that it is "broken" and can be "hacked".
Noland Arbaugh, a 31-year-old quadriplegic, managed to control a cursor on a computer screen using his thoughts as well as play games and communicate with friends thanks to the Neuralink device being fitted – but the programme ran into problems when his brain rejected many of the tendrils from the implant.
Noland lost movement below his neck after a 2016 swimming accident and had the Neuralink chip fitted in January.
He started off breaking world records for the speed of control over a computer cursor before the device ran into glitches.
Noland told the Wall Street Journal: “I was on such a high and then to be brought down that low. It was very, very hard. I cried.”
More than 1,000 quadriplegics signed up for a patient registry to get the device fitted.
However, Noland says there are issues with it.
Downplaying the capabilities of the Neuralink, he told 'The Joe Rogan Experience': "At this point, at least hacking, [the Neuralink interface] wouldn't really do much.
"You might be able to see some of the brain signals, you might be see some of the data that Link's collecting and then you might be able to control my cursor on my screen and make me look at weird stuff but that's about it."
Noland insists his brain can think to move his hand quicker than the interface's signal.
He explained: "The signal is already being sent before you move your hand your mind is saying 'OK, he's about to move his hand,' so the signal needs to be sent all the way down and back up in order for you to move your hand. So the speed that all of that happens [with Neuralink] is almost a little preemptive."
