Latest news with #AudreyCrews
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
Who is Audrey Crews? Paralysed woman writes her name after 20 years using Elon Musk's Neuralink brain chip
Source: X (Audrey Crews) In a groundbreaking medical and technological milestone, Audrey Crews, a woman paralysed for 20 years, has become the first Neuralink patient to publicly demonstrate thought-based computer control. With the help of a brain chip developed by Elon Musk 's Neuralink, Crews successfully moved a digital cursor and signed her name on a computer screen—using nothing but her thoughts. Her achievement, revealed through a viral social media post, not only showcases Neuralink's cutting-edge brain-computer interface (BCI) technology but also offers a glimpse into a future where individuals with paralysis may regain independence in ways previously unimaginable. Audrey Crews' achievement is more than a technological demonstration—it is a symbol of hope for millions living with paralysis. With Neuralink pushing boundaries, we are witnessing the early steps toward a future where physical disability does not limit a person's ability to connect, communicate, and create. Who is Audrey Crews and why is this moment historic Audrey Crews, also known as 'Patient P9' in Neuralink's clinical trial program, had lived with complete paralysis for two decades due to a severe spinal cord injury. Earlier this month, she underwent a brain chip implant procedure at the University of Miami Health Centre. Shortly after surgery, she shared an image on X (formerly Twitter) showing her digitally signed name with the caption: 'I tried writing my name for the first time in 20 years.' Her post quickly went viral and was confirmed by Elon Musk, who wrote: 'She is controlling the computer entirely by thought.' This demonstration represents a pivotal moment in medical neurotechnology, similar in significance to the first use of prosthetic limbs or cochlear implants. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 11 Harry Potter Actors Who Grew Up Stunningly. The Noodle Box Read More Undo What is Neuralink and how does it work Founded in 2016 by Elon Musk, Neuralink is developing brain-computer interfaces (BCIs)—devices designed to establish a direct communication link between the human brain and external machines. Neuralink's three product goals: Telepathy – A BCI enabling individuals with physical disabilities to control computers and devices through neural signals. Blindsight – A vision restoration system bypassing damaged optic nerves by stimulating the brain's visual cortex. Deep – A neuromodulation platform aimed at managing conditions such as Parkinson's disease and epilepsy. By decoding brain signals and transmitting them wirelessly, these interfaces can allow paralyzed individuals to type, move robotic arms, operate wheelchairs, and potentially regain mobility. Neuralink has now implanted its device in at least five human participants, each showing the ability to control external systems purely through thought. How does the Neuralink brain chip function The Neuralink chip consists of ultra-thin electrode threads surgically implanted into specific regions of the brain responsible for motor control. Signal collection: The electrodes pick up electrical activity generated by neurons during movement intention. AI decoding: Advanced machine learning algorithms decode these neural signals in real time, identifying the user's intended action. Wireless transmission: The interpreted data is transmitted to a computer, where it translates into specific commands like moving a cursor, typing, or even controlling robotic limbs. In Audrey's case, this technology allowed her to move a digital cursor and write her signature—tasks she had been unable to perform for 20 years. Why is this a breakthrough for people with paralysis For individuals living with paralysis, everyday tasks such as writing, typing, or even using a smartphone become impossible without assistance. Neuralink's brain chip offers hope by bypassing damaged spinal cord pathways and directly linking thoughts to actions. Independence: Users can communicate, work, and interact with digital systems without physical movement. Rehabilitation potential: With future iterations, patients might control wheelchairs, exoskeletons, or prosthetic limbs. Medical insights: The data collected could deepen our understanding of neurological disorders and pave the way for targeted therapies. What's next for Neuralink The company is still in its early clinical trial phase, focusing on ensuring safety, reliability, and accuracy of its implants. The roadmap includes expanding to more patients and exploring applications beyond paralysis, such as restoring vision and treating neurological diseases. Elon Musk has emphasized that Neuralink aims to make brain-computer interfaces as common as LASIK eye surgery within the next decade. If successful, the implications for healthcare, human-machine interaction, and even general computing could be revolutionary. Also Read | Watch | Hawaii resident captures rare Tsunami siren after massive Russia earthquake: 'Never heard this in 11 years'
News.com.au
a day ago
- Science
- News.com.au
Paralysed woman writes her name for the first time in 20 years after having Elon Musk Neuralink chip implant surgery
A woman paralysed since 2005 has written her name for the first time in two decades thanks to Elon Musk. Audrey Crews became the first woman in the world to undergo surgery earlier this month receiving Mr Musk's Neuralink chip implant, allowing her to control a computer with her mind. Ms Crews recently took to X to show the world how she was able to select a coloured cursor on screen and sign her name through telepathy. She showed off how she could also draw pictures, scroll with a mouse and use a keyboard just by thinking. 'I tried writing my name for the first time in 20 years. I'm working on it. Lol,' she said. 'I am the first woman in the world to do this.' Ms Crews was left a quadriplegic at age 16 following a car accident that left the vertebrae in her neck permanently damaged. By 2016, tech billionaire Musk co-founded Neuralink with expert in neuroscience in hopes of using AI tech to treat brain disorders. Three years later he revealed the N1 chip, which is placed on the brain to translate electrical signals into tasks. Ms Crews is just the ninth recipient. She underwent surgery at the University of Miami Health Centre where surgeons place over 100 threads, thinner than human hair into her motor cortex after drilling through her skull. The implant, roughly the size of a 10 cent coin, sends those signals to a linked computer or smartphone with Neuralink's software via Bluetooth, allowing patients with paralysis or neurological conditions to communicate digitally. 'Imagine your pointer finger is left click and the cursor is with your wrist, without physically doing it. Just a normal day using telepathy,' she said. Ms Crews has also started taking requests of what to draw next, recently sketching a cat, a sun and a tree after being asked by X users. She's also able to play simulation games testing her accuracy and speed by having her cursor track points on the screen as they change. Mr Musk even replied to a post about Ms Crews' story. 'She is controlling her computer just by thinking. Most people don't realise this is possible,' he said. While the technology won't allow her to regain movement of her limbs, the advancement has so far impressed Ms Crews who hopes to make the most of it by writing a book about her experiences. The chip is powered by a small battery that charges wirelessly. Asked if she ever imagined being able to communicate in such a way again, Ms Crews had one response: 'Not in all my wildest dreams, but the future is here.'
The Sun
a day ago
- Science
- The Sun
Elon Musk's Neuralink brain chip lets paralysed woman write her name after 20 YEARS ‘just by thinking'
BRAIN TRAINING Once inserted in the participants brain, the chip allows users to control digital interfaces through brain signals alone , Senior Technology & Science Reporter Published: 11:26, Updated: 11:26, A PARALYSED woman has written her name for the first time in 20 years using only her mind. Audrey Crews is one of the participants in Elon Musk's Neuralink trial, having had a computer chip installed in her brain. 4 4 The chip, or brain-computer interface (BCI) as Neuralink calls it, connects Crews' brain to a computer and allows her to control the mouse on the screen. Crews lost movement at age 16, and is the first woman to receive the implant. Sharing the moment on X (formerly Twitter), Crews posted: 'I tried writing my name for the first time in 20 years. I'm working on it. Lol #Neuralink.' In shaky writing on her laptop screen is the word 'Audrey'. Musk, co-founder of Neuralink, replied to the post, saying: "She is controlling her computer just by thinking. Most people don't realise it is possible." It's hard for most people to imagine what it would be like writing - or even gaming - using only your mind. But Crews described it as "like writing your name in your head". The telepathic powers were granted to Crews as part of the company's PRIME study, which aims to test BCI chips in human subjects. Once inserted in the participants' brain, the chip allows users to control digital interfaces through brain signals alone. In a follow-up post, Crews explained: 'It was brain surgery, they drilled a hole in my skull and placed 128 threads into my motor cortex. 'The chip is about the size of a quarter.' While Musk hopes the technology will one day be used to help quadriplegics walk again, the company is still far away from this end result. What is Neuralink? Here's what you need to know... Neuralink is a project that aims to embed computer chips in people's brains The idea is to give humans hyper-intelligence by merging them with artificial intelligence Tiny threads thinner than a human hair would pump information into your noggin It would work a bit like an internet cable, transmitting data in and out at high speeds As well as making us smarter, the project promises to merge us with computers and phones That means you could control your gizmos with your brain Neuralink is bankrolled by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk He's previously said the tech could save us from a machine uprising in future The device does not yet restore physical mobility. 'I also want to clarify this implant will not allow me to walk again or regain movement," said Crews. "It's strictly for telepathy only.' Crews is one of seven paralysed patients undergoing the trial. 4
International Business Times
2 days ago
- Business
- International Business Times
Who is Audrey Crew? Woman Paralyzed for 20-Years Starts Controlling Computer with Neuralink Brain Implant
Elon Musk's brain-computer interface company Neuralink recently celebrated a historic milestone in the form of completing two successful operations to install a brain chip implant on the same day. The company confirmed the milestone in an X (formerly Twitter) post, saying that both operations—for two patients, P8 and P9—had been performed in a single weekend and that the patients were recovering well. One of the recipients, Audrey Crews, known as P9, was the first woman implanted with a Neuralink BCI. Now her story is catching the tech world's eye. Audrey, who has been paralyzed for 20 years, said she chose the Neuralink procedure in hopes of regaining a few of her digital faculties. Post operation, she was able to write her name and play computer games—using nothing but her thoughts. I attempted to write my name for the first time in 20 years. I'm on it," she wrote in a post. The operation was carried out at the University of Miami Health Centre—officials placed a coin-sized chip in her skull. Doctors inserted 128 ultra-thin threads into her motor cortex, the part of the brain that controls movement, using a robot. The Neuralink chip functions by detecting electrical signals in the brain and then wirelessly transmitting those signals to an external device, such as a computer. Advanced Decoding these signals using AI algorithms, users are able to transmit digital commands—such as typing or moving a cursor on a computer screen—directly to computers. " While the implant won't bring back her ability to walk, it does make it possible to interact with the digital world in ways Crews hasn't been able to do for the past two decades. "It's telepathy only," she clarified. Elon Musk also retweeted Crews' update, commenting, "She's using her computer with her brain. Many people don't know this is an option." Neuralink, founded in 2016, plans to use its brain interface technology to do things like allowing people with severe neurological conditions to control digital devices with just their thoughts. Audrey Crews has continued to post her recovery process online as she captures herself playing games and doodling on a screen—using just her mind. A new team for artificial intelligence Enabling technologies often allow new directions in research and applications. The advancement not only indicates technological progress but also indicates the untapped potential for integrating artificial intelligence with human cognition.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Neuralink's first female patient reveals shocking effect of brain chip
A woman who has been fully paralyzed for the last 20 years has regained the ability to use a computer, marking a world-first for Elon Musk's company, Neuralink. Thanks to Neuralink's revolutionary implant, Audrey Crews revealed on X how she was able to write her name on a computer screen. 'I tried writing my name for the first time in 20 years. I'm working on it. Lol,' Crews posted on X while showing the world her first attempt at a signature since 2005. Using the brain-computer interface (BCI), the implant recipient chose a purple-colored cursor pen to write the name 'Audrey' on the screen in cursive script. The Louisiana resident was severely injured in a car accident at the age of 16, damaging the C4 and C5 vertebrae in her neck, and leaving her a quadriplegic with no feeling in her arms and legs. The Neuralink procedure implanted a small quarter-sized device on Crews' motor cortex this month, letting her control a computer with her mind. In her posts on X following the surgery, Crews revealed how she has been able to draw pictures, write words, scroll with a mouse, and use a keyboard all through the power of her mind. Responding to the positive feedback she's received on social media, Crews said she felt liberated, and she's even started taking requests on what to draw next as the pictures act as practice for her while using the implant. Musk, the CEO of Spacex and Tesla, co-founded Neuralink in 2016 with a group of experts in the fields of neuroscience, engineering, and robotics. There goal was to merge human intelligence with AI, treat brain disorders, and potentially enhance human ability in the future. In 2019, Musk revealed the N1 implant, the small device placed on the brain to read and translate electrical signals into actions, like moving a cursor on a computer screen. Crews became the ninth person to undergo the groundbreaking procedure, which has allowed patients with severe paralysis or neurological conditions like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to control electronic devices through telepathy. 'I am the first women in the world to do this,' Crews added on X. 'Imagine your pointer finger is left click and the cursor [movement] is with your wrist, without physically doing it. Just a normal day using telepathy,' she explained while showing off her latest drawings on Sunday. The Neuralink patient has been able to draw hearts, flowers, rainbows, and even some faces while pushing the cursor with her thoughts sent to the N1 implant. Crews' surgery at University of Miami Health Center involved drilling a hole into her skull, so surgeons could place 128 threads smaller than a human hair into her motor cortex. Working on my accuracy and speed. #Neuralink — Audrey Crews (@NeuraNova9) July 26, 2025 The threads carried over 1,000 electrodes which detect electrical signals, or neuron spikes, produced by brain cells when a person thinks about moving. Each thought creates a unique pattern of brain activity. The implant is powered by a small battery that charges wirelessly. It sends the neuron spikes to a computer or smartphone running Neuralink's software via Bluetooth, which is then translated into commands on the computer. Asked by one person on X if she ever thought she would be able to do anything like this again, Crews replied: 'Not in all my wildest dreams, but the future is here.' Musk also replied to a post about Crews' story, saying: 'She is controlling her computer just by thinking. Most people don't realize this is possible.' The first female Neuralink patient noted that the BCI won't give her the ability to walk again or regain any movement in her limbs, but she is hoping this breakthrough will allow her to write a book about her journey. 'I've been a quadriplegic since the age of 16, so I have lots to tell,' Crews explained. The N1 implant is still in early trials and its long-term safety and effectiveness are being tested. The first person to use the N1 implant, Noland Arbaugh, saw the threads to his motor cortex retract, requiring Neuralink to adjust the device in order for it to maintain connection with the quadriplegic patient's brain. At the moment, Musk's dream of these implants enhancing human ability is still in the planning phase. They can't 'read thoughts' beyond specific movement tasks, like moving the cursor on a screen. For Crews and the other eight patients so far, however, it's given them back a piece of their independence they thought was lost forever.
