The cursor can be controlled literally by the power of thought.
Elon Musk's Neuralink this week held broadcast with the participation of its first patient with quadriplegia, who in January underwent surgery to install an implant in the skull that connects to the cerebral cortex using many thin electrodes. In the video, the cheerful 29-year-old man said that eight years ago he suffered a spinal cord injury that left him with no mobility or sensation below his shoulders. Noland Arbaugh raved about his ability to literally control the mouse cursor on his laptop screen with his mind.
Image source: X, Neuralink
Having also tried his hand at Civilization VI, he now focuses on chess. Having mastered the cursor control, the patient was initially so obsessed with the idea of the game that he was impatiently waiting for the built-in battery of the implant to be recharged in order to continue playing on the computer. The volunteer admitted that Neuralink technology is not without its shortcomings, but he is convinced that it has changed his life dramatically, although it is only “the beginning of a long journey,” he added.