Brain-computer interfaces have been making waves lately. Elon Musk’s company Neuralink is back in the spotlight with a chip implanted in a paralyzed man from the neck down. The paralyzed man was able to play Mario Kart using only his thoughts.
He played Mario Kart thanks to the Neuralink chip
Paralyzed from the neck down after a swimming accident, 29-year-old Noland Arbaugh has started using Neuralink’s experimental implant. The company has previously shown him using a computer with the power of thought. Now it has shared a video of Arbaugh playing Mario Kart on the Nintendo Switch.
According to the video, Arbaugh was able to control his character using his Neuralink implant. He was also able to steer left and right, accelerate and even fire a gun at other racers. And he did it all without moving a single muscle.
Sharing his thoughts on the subject with the Neuralink team, the paralyzed person said that this experience would be life-changing. He said he could now do things that were previously impossible, such as playing games and using a computer.
This shows that brain-computer interfaces can restore mobility to paralyzed or amputee people. It is important to remember that it has only been one year since Neuralink began its first manned tests.
Although it is seen as a big step forward, the project is at the center of controversy. It is already known that Neuralink has had difficulties in obtaining some legal permits. Especially the scientific experiment on humans was rejected many times. In fact, the company, which allegedly conducted some experiments without legal permission, was able to obtain permission to work on humans for the first time in May 2023.
