Neuralink is challenging members of the public to test their skill at the reaction game used to test its N1 brain chip, and see how their score stacks up against that of the first human recipient of the brain-computer interface (BCI), Noland Arbaugh, who plays by directing the movements of a computer cursor with his mind.The N1 chip implanted in Arbaugh’s head is designed to detect the 29-year-old quadriplegic man’s brain activity, and transmit the resulting data to a Neuralink App, which then translates the neural signals into executable actions such as the movement of a computer cursor. Neuralink is currently working to improve the performance of the BMI to grant Arbaugh the ability to wield a computer cursor with a speed and accuracy that rivals the performance of an average Neuralink researcher using a physical mouse.Along the way, scientists are using a simple but addictive reaction-based game called Webgrid to gauge the performance of the experimental brain-computer link. Webgrid is able to test a person’s skill at manipulating a computer cursor by presenting them with a simple grid displaying a single blue target square, which shifts location randomly with each click. In each session, players must click on the blue target tiles as fast as possible in order to attain a high score, which is measured in bits per second (BPS) – a metric that takes into account factors including speed, accuracy, and misclicks.Don’t go easy on me. Blow me out of the water. It’ll only push me to get better. The highest I’ve seen is 17.10 on a 35×35 by @chapman_bliss https://t.co/GtUPT4dFNq— Noland Arbaugh (@ModdedQuad) May 14, 2024 In the months following his implant surgery, Arbaugh was able to attain a high score of 8.01 BPS, and is now working to beat the physical mouse score set by Neuralink researchers of 10 BPS. Earlier this week, Neuralink made the Webgrid game freely available to the general public, giving players the opportunity to see how their mouse control stacks up against Arbaugh’s. “Don’t go easy on me,” said Arbaugh in a post on X following the announcement. “Blow me out of the water. It’ll only push me to get better. The highest I’ve seen is 17.10 on a 35×35 [grid] by @chapman_bliss.” Last week saw Neuralink provide an update on Arbaugh’s progress 100 days out from the implant surgery, in which a specialised robot inserted a collection of 64 electrode-bearing threads into the 29-year-old’s brain, which feed data to the circular N1 implant. “Blow me out of the water. It’ll only push me to get better.The company revealed that Arbaugh has used the brain-computer link to play a number of popular games, including Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Slay the Spire, and Sid Meier’s Civilization 6 during his free time. The researchers are also working to develop bespoke video-game-centric features for the Neuralink App, which will allow Arbaugh greater freedom as to where and how he games.Neuralink also disclosed that a number of the ultra-thin threads had retracted from Arbaugh’s brain in the weeks following the surgery, which led to a drop in performance that the researchers were later able to compensate for by tweaking the data collection and translation algorithm.For more science news why not read up on a new set of NASA supercomputer simulations, which reveal what it would look like if you were to fall into a supermassive black hole with a mass of 4.3 million suns, or check out Boston Dynamic’s new and terrifyingly flexible line of all electric Atlas robots.Image credit: Neuralink.Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer
