Elon Musk's Neuralink "Rebuilds Paralyzed Lives," First Subject: Time Begins to Flow, Life is Very Meaningful

Neuralink's first human subject's year of change, witnessing how the brain-machine interface reshapes life (Background: Musk's Neuralink launch event made waves: seven people have implanted brain-machine interfaces to change their lives, and the next step is to end blindness, with an incredible roadmap revealed) (Background supplement: Changing the world again? Musk announces: Neuralink's next product is for blind vision! Will the blind see light again?) Silicon Valley likes to talk about "10x speed," but for 33-year-old Noland Arbaugh, the passage of time is more direct: a year ago, he could only indicate with his eyes while in a wheelchair, but now, with a chip the size of a coin in his brain, he can play video games and reply to messages without moving a finger; even operating the air purifier can be done hands-free, allowing time and days in his mind to flow once again. The first subject's year In January 2024, Arbaugh became Neuralink's first human subject. The surgery, which took place in California, lasted only a few hours but rewritten the fate of his paralysis caused by a pool accident in 2016. According to an exclusive interview with Fortune magazine, he now uses the brain-machine interface for nearly 10 hours daily, browsing the internet to study neuroscience while brainstorming new startup ideas. He said, "I have always had potential, but now I have found a meaningful way to realize it, which is really different." Arbaugh jokingly calls himself a cyborg but adds, "I am still an ordinary person," casually highlighting the sense of freedom brought by technology. How the chip turns brainwaves into commands Neuralink's "Link" device conceals over 1,000 electrode wires thinner than a hair, implanted into the motor cortex by specialized robots, aiming to minimize interference with brain tissue. The system records neural pulses in real-time, then translates them into cursor movements or text input using machine learning, finally transmitting wirelessly to a computer or home appliance. The battery needs to be charged approximately once every five hours, and the team hides the charging cable in a custom baseball cap; Arbaugh wears it while watching videos, waking up fully charged, and the user experience is almost indistinguishable from using a smartphone. The low operational threshold encourages him to treat the chip as a daily tool rather than just a laboratory exhibit. From cases to clinics: BCI is expanding The most concerning aspect for the outside world is safety; although the Link is invasive, the official report has not disclosed any serious adverse reactions aside from scalp wounds. Musk rarely emphasizes that "the promotion speed will be very conservative," but after Arbaugh, eight more subjects have joined the clinical trials, and progress continues. The appeal of BCI lies in its ability to directly bypass damaged neural pathways, allowing paralyzed patients to regain control of the mouse and keyboard, which feels more significant than upgrading a wheelchair and alleviates the long-ignored psychological pressure. The U.S. PRIME study and the U.K. GB-PRIME trials are underway simultaneously, validating the effects on patients with severe optic nerve disorders. The next stop for human-machine integration The technology invasive to the brain inevitably comes with ethical debates: from animal testing controversies to data privacy and self-identity. Neuralink can only persuade the public with medical efficacy before discussing mass production. The good news is that cases are accumulating; the bad news is that questions remain unanswered. Arbaugh's daily life adds a human touch to this discussion. When he defeats friends in Civilization using his thoughts or turns on the room's air purifier, what he is doing is actually quite similar to us using our smartphones—the only difference is that he didn't have hands to swipe before. Technology has not made him superhuman; it has simply returned "normal" to him. If traditional assistive devices are like adding wheels to the body, BCI resembles paving a highway between consciousness and machinery. That road is still under construction, but the signposts are already up. For those bound by disease or accidents, this is not just a medical milestone, but a license to regain control of their lives. When we look back in 2025, Arbaugh's collaboration with Neuralink will feel like the prelude to a dance between humanity and technology. Though the melody is still young, the rhythm has been set. The future's variations will only become richer, and what truly determines the direction will be each individual's desire for a free life.