Chips on the brain. Yes it sounds like a plot straight out of a sci-fi novel, however, 30-year-old Noland Arbaugh is making headlines as the world’s first human telepathic gamer – though he prefers the term “telekinetic.”
The former outdoorsy college student, whose life took a dramatic turn after a swimming accident left him quadriplegic in 2016, has become the unlikely pioneer of Elon Musk’s ambitious Neuralink brain-computer interface project.
From his modest home in Yuma, Arizona, where a turkey named Hope roams the backyard and motivational quotes adorn the walls, Arbaugh is now casually destroying Neuralink engineers at chess and outmaneuvering able-bodied players in fast-paced video games – all with just his thoughts.
“Sometimes I forget how impressive it is, because it’s so natural to me,” says Arbaugh, shrugging with characteristic modesty while his hands remain motionless. The coin-sized chip in his brain, sporting 1,024 electrodes on threads thinner than human hair, has transformed his ability to interact with technology.
But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing in this brave new world. In a plot twist worthy of a tech thriller, Arbaugh’s implant nearly failed when 85% of the threads retracted due to his pulsing brain movements – a factor the brilliant minds at Neuralink hadn’t considered . The team managed to save the day with some clever software tweaks, though Arbaugh’s current typing speed of 25 words per minute still falls short of Musk’s grand vision of seamless mind-to-screen communication.
While some view this as the dawn of a new era in human-computer interaction, others worry about the implications of the world’s richest man – known for his influence over social media and promotion of controversial figures – having direct access to human brains.
For now, Arbaugh remains focused on his daily “session” work with Neuralink and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with his new neural superpower . When asked about being Musk’s first human guinea pig, he maintains his characteristic calm: “He’s a regular guy – just much more impressive and a little bit more eccentric.”
As humanity stands at this technological crossroads, one thing is clear: whether we’re headed for a utopian future of enhanced human capability or a dystopian nightmare of brain-hacked humans, Noland Arbaugh is leading the way – one thought-controlled chess move at a time.
