{
  "id": "AIBD-0263",
  "title": "Neuralink N1 lets Noland Arbaugh control a cursor and play chess by thought; use continues at 28 months",
  "summary": "First PRIME-study participant, implanted at Barrow in January 2024, controls a computer by thought; threads retracted after a month, software fixes restored use; a second user drives a robot arm.",
  "date_observed": "2024-05-02",
  "date_basis": "unassessed",
  "date_precision": "unassessed",
  "benefit_status": null,
  "source_collection": null,
  "source_entry": null,
  "account": "Noland Arbaugh, paralyzed after a diving accident, received the Neuralink N1 implant at Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, in January 2024 (ABC15, 2 May 2024). He demonstrated online chess and cursor movement by thought. ABC News (17 May 2024) reported that threads retracted from his brain and removal was considered. It quoted him: “I can control a computer just like anyone else can”. Neuralink said it modified the recording algorithm and the translation of signals into cursor movements. Tech Times (28 May 2026) reported roughly 85% of threads retracted about a month after surgery and recovery through software refinement. It gave about 10 hours of daily use for chess, coursework, scheduling and communication at 28 months. Barrow (29 April 2026) reported the second participant, Alex Conley (C4-C5 injury, CONVOY study), controlling a robotic arm to operate light switches and doors. The Debrief (7 July 2025) counted 7 users, 6 implanted at Barrow. Nature news (6 August 2024) noted the device “has been adjusted in a bid to prevent glitches”. No peer-reviewed report of participant outcomes was found in Europe PMC. Neuralink's own blog could not be opened. The implant was in January 2024.",
  "category": "benefit created",
  "unexpected": false,
  "purpose": "Restore digital autonomy (cursor control, later robotic-arm control) to people with quadriplegia through an implanted brain-computer interface",
  "system": "Neuralink N1 implant with cursor-decoding software (PRIME study; CONVOY study for the robotic arm)",
  "model_version": "N1",
  "developer": "Neuralink",
  "deployer": "Barrow Neurological Institute (surgical site) with Neuralink",
  "location": "Phoenix, Arizona, USA",
  "domain": "Health; assistive technology",
  "segment": "People with quadriplegia (spinal cord injury, ALS)",
  "benefit_type": "Improved Accessibility",
  "taxonomy_note": null,
  "registry_ids": {},
  "ratings": [
    {
      "group": "personal",
      "depth": 3,
      "reason": "Arbaugh reports computer control “just like anyone else can” and about 10 hours of daily use at 28 months. Conley operates a robotic arm for light switches and doors."
    },
    {
      "group": "organizational",
      "depth": null,
      "reason": "No organizational outcome reported."
    },
    {
      "group": "societal",
      "depth": null,
      "reason": "Seven users as of July 2025; no population-level effect."
    }
  ],
  "ai_role": {
    "status": "assessed",
    "statement": "The decoding software that maps neural signals to cursor and arm movement is Neuralink's. Its role is described only in company statements quoted by news outlets (recording algorithm modified, signal-to-cursor translation improved). Outcomes rest on the participant's own account, Barrow's patient story and press reports, not on a peer-reviewed report."
  },
  "evidence": [
    {
      "kind": "news report",
      "citation": "ABC15 Arizona, 2 May 2024",
      "title": "Elon Musk's Neuralink begins clinical trials in Phoenix",
      "url": "https://www.abc15.com/news/business/elon-musks-neuralink-begins-clinical-trials-in-phoenix",
      "date": "2024-05-02",
      "written_by": "independent",
      "quote": "a significant milestone that could potentially restore autonomy to millions of adults with unmet medical needs."
    },
    {
      "kind": "news report",
      "citation": "ABC News / Good Morning America, 17 May 2024",
      "title": "Neuralink's first brain implant patient feared device would have to be removed",
      "url": "https://abcnews.com/GMA/Wellness/neuralinks-brain-implant-patient-feared-device-removed/story?id=110325322",
      "date": "2024-05-17",
      "written_by": "independent",
      "quote": "I can control a computer just like anyone else can, which is not something I was able to do beforehand."
    },
    {
      "kind": "press release",
      "citation": "Barrow Neurological Institute patient story, 29 Apr 2026",
      "title": "Barrow Patient Begins to Reclaim Independence With Neuralink Robotic Arm After Spinal Cord Injury",
      "url": "https://www.barrowneuro.org/about/news-and-articles/patient-stories/barrow-patient-begins-to-reclaim-independence-with-neuralink-robotic-arm-after-spinal-cord-injury/",
      "date": "2026-04-29",
      "written_by": "deployer",
      "quote": "Most of us take for granted our ability to interact with the physical world. With this technology, we're giving that back to the patients."
    },
    {
      "kind": "news report",
      "citation": "Tech Times, 28 May 2026",
      "title": "Neuralink BCI After 28 Months: Arbaugh Tells Robotics Summit What Published Research Cannot",
      "url": "https://www.techtimes.com/articles/317356/20260528/neuralink-bci-after-28-months-arbaugh-tells-robotics-summit-what-published-research-cannot.htm",
      "date": "2026-05-28",
      "written_by": "independent",
      "quote": "It sucked. It was really, really hard."
    },
    {
      "kind": "news report",
      "citation": "The Debrief, 7 Jul 2025",
      "title": "Neuralink Hits 7 Users as Global Brain Implant Count Remains Under 100",
      "url": "https://thedebrief.org/neuralink-hits-7-users-as-global-brain-implant-count-remains-under-100/",
      "date": "2025-07-07",
      "written_by": "independent",
      "quote": "Today, Neuralink released a special update that recognized PRIME Study patients' contributions to research"
    },
    {
      "kind": "news report",
      "citation": "Naddaf M, Drew L. Nature 632:481-482 (2024)",
      "title": "Second brain implant by Elon Musk's Neuralink: will it fare better than the first?",
      "url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02368-8",
      "date": "2024-08-06",
      "written_by": "independent",
      "quote": "Device allowing the user to control a computer cursor using their thoughts has been adjusted in a bid to prevent glitches with the first implant."
    }
  ],
  "replication": {
    "produced_by": [
      "Implanted electrode threads in motor cortex",
      "Company decoding software translating neural signals into cursor or robotic-arm commands",
      "Software recalibration after thread retraction"
    ],
    "must_hold": [
      "Electrode threads remain sufficiently in place or software compensates",
      "Daily use continues to be reported by the user",
      "Peer-reviewed outcome reporting (absent so far)"
    ],
    "echoes": [
      {
        "date": "2026-04-29",
        "setting": "Alex Conley, second participant, robotic-arm control (CONVOY study) at Barrow",
        "model_version": "N1",
        "outcome": "recurred",
        "source": "https://www.barrowneuro.org/about/news-and-articles/patient-stories/barrow-patient-begins-to-reclaim-independence-with-neuralink-robotic-arm-after-spinal-cord-injury/"
      },
      {
        "date": "2025-07-07",
        "setting": "Seven users reported, six implanted at Barrow",
        "model_version": "N1",
        "outcome": "unknown",
        "source": "https://thedebrief.org/neuralink-hits-7-users-as-global-brain-implant-count-remains-under-100/"
      }
    ]
  },
  "paired_incident": null,
  "headline": "Neuralink N1 lets Noland Arbaugh control a cursor by thought",
  "metric": "10 hours of daily use for chess, coursework, scheduling and communication at 28 months",
  "comparator": {
    "against": "Arbaugh's own ability to use a computer before the implant (self-report)",
    "before": "not something I was able to do beforehand",
    "after": "I can control a computer just like anyone else can",
    "basis": "assumed",
    "quote": "I can control a computer just like anyone else can, which is not something I was able to do beforehand.",
    "url": "https://abcnews.com/GMA/Wellness/neuralinks-brain-implant-patient-feared-device-removed/story?id=110325322"
  },
  "later": {
    "status": "scaled",
    "date": "2026-05-28",
    "note": "By May 2026 Arbaugh had used the implant for 28 months, about 10 hours a day after software changes compensated for an early 85% thread retraction, and the PRIME trial had enrolled more than 20 participants across four countries.",
    "quote": "As of early 2026, the trial had enrolled more than 20 participants across sites in the US, UK, Canada, and United Arab Emirates.",
    "url": "https://www.techtimes.com/articles/317356/20260528/neuralink-bci-after-28-months-arbaugh-tells-robotics-summit-what-published-research-cannot.htm"
  },
  "value": null,
  "developer_country": "United States",
  "deployer_country": "United States",
  "unrated_because": null,
  "brief_notes": null,
  "brief": null,
  "revisions": [
    {
      "date": "2026-10-20",
      "change": "Record drafted from the cited sources.",
      "source": null,
      "editor": "AIBD"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-10-21",
      "change": "Added what the benefit is measured against, what happened since from the cited sources.",
      "source": "https://abcnews.com/GMA/Wellness/neuralinks-brain-implant-patient-feared-device-removed/story?id=110325322; https://www.techtimes.com/articles/317356/20260528/neuralink-bci-after-28-months-arbaugh-tells-robotics-summit-what-published-research-cannot.htm",
      "editor": "AIBD"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-10-21",
      "change": "Country of the developer and the deployer added from the organization's own site or a registry.",
      "source": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuralink; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrow_Neurological_Institute",
      "editor": "AIBD"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-10-21",
      "change": "Prose pass: a rating reason, account, the system's part rewritten in shorter sentences with abbreviations expanded; facts, figures and quotations unchanged.",
      "source": null,
      "editor": "AIBD"
    }
  ],
  "confidence": "reported",
  "shade": "medium",
  "claim_status": "Independently reported",
  "claim_basis": "Sources: five independent news reports and the deployer's press release. The cited evidence includes no independent study or report and no finding by a regulator or court.",
  "profile": {
    "case_id": "AIBD-0263",
    "catalog_version": "1.0.0",
    "source_fingerprint": "d701b505fcf2a7e40abec2baad8a8c81616e8858ce3393b5fa06088622199c9b",
    "collection_refs": [
      {
        "collection_id": "aibd",
        "version": "snapshot-8bf7cfec9cb185aa"
      },
      {
        "collection_id": "aibd",
        "version": "2026-10-25"
      }
    ],
    "source_ids": [
      "AIBD-0263-source-0001",
      "AIBD-0263-source-0002",
      "AIBD-0263-source-0003",
      "AIBD-0263-source-0004",
      "AIBD-0263-source-0005",
      "AIBD-0263-source-0006"
    ],
    "families": {
      "strategic assessments": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "record_ids": []
      },
      "evaluations": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "record_ids": []
      },
      "monetary observations": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "record_ids": []
      },
      "institutional decisions": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "record_ids": []
      }
    },
    "fields": {
      "actors[]": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "record_fields",
          "fields": {
            "developer": "Neuralink",
            "deployer": "Barrow Neurological Institute (surgical site) with Neuralink"
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Preserved from the existing AIBD record; external sources were not rechecked.",
          "record_fields": [
            "developer",
            "deployer"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "actors[].ownership_control": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "ai_contribution": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "record_fields",
          "fields": {
            "ai_role": {
              "status": "assessed",
              "statement": "The decoding software that maps neural signals to cursor and arm movement is Neuralink's. Its role is described only in company statements quoted by news outlets (recording algorithm modified, signal-to-cursor translation improved). Outcomes rest on the participant's own account, Barrow's patient story and press reports, not on a peer-reviewed report."
            }
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Preserved from the existing AIBD record; external sources were not rechecked.",
          "record_fields": [
            "ai_role"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "ai_relationship": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "record_fields",
          "fields": {
            "category": "benefit created",
            "ai_role": {
              "status": "assessed",
              "statement": "The decoding software that maps neural signals to cursor and arm movement is Neuralink's. Its role is described only in company statements quoted by news outlets (recording algorithm modified, signal-to-cursor translation improved). Outcomes rest on the participant's own account, Barrow's patient story and press reports, not on a peer-reviewed report."
            }
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Preserved from the existing AIBD record; external sources were not rechecked.",
          "record_fields": [
            "ai_role",
            "category"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "assessments[].alternatives": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "assessments[].assessor_date": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "assessments[].depth": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "record_fields",
          "fields": {
            "ratings": [
              {
                "group": "personal",
                "depth": 3,
                "reason": "Arbaugh reports computer control “just like anyone else can” and about 10 hours of daily use at 28 months. Conley operates a robotic arm for light switches and doors."
              },
              {
                "group": "organizational",
                "reason": "No organizational outcome reported."
              },
              {
                "group": "societal",
                "reason": "Seven users as of July 2025; no population-level effect."
              }
            ]
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Preserved from the existing AIBD record; external sources were not rechecked.",
          "record_fields": [
            "ratings"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "assessments[].display_confidence": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "structured",
          "data": {
            "confidence": "medium",
            "evidence_word": "reported",
            "claim_status": "Independently reported",
            "basis": "Sources: five independent news reports and the deployer's press release. The cited evidence includes no independent study or report and no finding by a regulator or court.",
            "interpretation": "Existing display rule preserved; the richer outcome-specific confidence question still needs review."
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "curatorial",
          "basis": "Derived from the existing case display properties; not a new evidentiary judgment.",
          "record_fields": [],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "assessments[].rationale": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "record_fields",
          "fields": {
            "ratings": [
              {
                "group": "personal",
                "depth": 3,
                "reason": "Arbaugh reports computer control “just like anyone else can” and about 10 hours of daily use at 28 months. Conley operates a robotic arm for light switches and doors."
              },
              {
                "group": "organizational",
                "reason": "No organizational outcome reported."
              },
              {
                "group": "societal",
                "reason": "Seven users as of July 2025; no population-level effect."
              }
            ]
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Preserved from the existing AIBD record; external sources were not rechecked.",
          "record_fields": [
            "ratings"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "assessments[].rubric_version": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "assessments[].status_basis": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "assessments[].target": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "record_fields",
          "fields": {
            "ratings": [
              {
                "group": "personal",
                "depth": 3,
                "reason": "Arbaugh reports computer control “just like anyone else can” and about 10 hours of daily use at 28 months. Conley operates a robotic arm for light switches and doors."
              },
              {
                "group": "organizational",
                "reason": "No organizational outcome reported."
              },
              {
                "group": "societal",
                "reason": "Seven users as of July 2025; no population-level effect."
              }
            ]
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Preserved from the existing AIBD record; external sources were not rechecked.",
          "record_fields": [
            "ratings"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "availability": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "brief": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "case_kind": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "case_links[]": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "claims[].evidence_links": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "claims[].evidence_strength": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "claims[].missingness": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "claims[].proposition": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "cross_border_flows[]": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "decisions[].action_outcome": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "institutional decisions"
      },
      "decisions[].grounds": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "institutional decisions"
      },
      "decisions[].institution_task": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "institutional decisions"
      },
      "decisions[].success_criterion": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "institutional decisions"
      },
      "deployment_stage": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "economics[].amount": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "monetary observations"
      },
      "economics[].costs[]": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "monetary observations"
      },
      "economics[].counterfactual": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "monetary observations"
      },
      "economics[].currency_price_basis": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "monetary observations"
      },
      "economics[].gross_net": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "monetary observations"
      },
      "economics[].measure_type": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "monetary observations"
      },
      "economics[].period_unit": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "monetary observations"
      },
      "economics[].realization": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "monetary observations"
      },
      "economics[].recipient_payer": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "monetary observations"
      },
      "economics[].return_payback": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "monetary observations"
      },
      "economics[].valuation_method": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "monetary observations"
      },
      "evaluations[].ai_uplift": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "evaluations"
      },
      "evaluations[].comparator": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "evaluations"
      },
      "evaluations[].design": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "evaluations"
      },
      "evaluations[].effect": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "evaluations"
      },
      "evaluations[].exposure": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "evaluations"
      },
      "evaluations[].id": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "evaluations"
      },
      "evaluations[].measurement_method": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "evaluations"
      },
      "evaluations[].metric": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Mapped from the existing case description without a new external source review.",
          "record_fields": [
            "metric"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "evaluations",
        "display": {
          "answer": "10 hours of daily use for chess, coursework, scheduling and communication at 28 months",
          "editor_note": ""
        }
      },
      "evaluations[].reproduction_materials": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "evaluations"
      },
      "evaluations[].setting_sample": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "evaluations"
      },
      "evaluations[].uncertainty_limitations": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "evaluations"
      },
      "external_references[]": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "follow_up[]": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "record_fields",
          "fields": {
            "later": {
              "status": "scaled",
              "date": "2026-05-28",
              "note": "By May 2026 Arbaugh had used the implant for 28 months, about 10 hours a day after software changes compensated for an early 85% thread retraction, and the PRIME trial had enrolled more than 20 participants across four countries.",
              "quote": "As of early 2026, the trial had enrolled more than 20 participants across sites in the US, UK, Canada, and United Arab Emirates.",
              "url": "https://www.techtimes.com/articles/317356/20260528/neuralink-bci-after-28-months-arbaugh-tells-robotics-summit-what-published-research-cannot.htm"
            }
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Preserved from the existing AIBD record; external sources were not rechecked.",
          "record_fields": [
            "later"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "human_oversight": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "id": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "record_fields",
          "fields": {
            "id": "AIBD-0263"
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Preserved from the existing AIBD record; external sources were not rechecked.",
          "record_fields": [
            "id"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "infrastructure_dependencies[]": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "outcomes[].beneficiaries": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "outcomes[].beneficiary_count": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "outcomes[].benefit_type": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "record_fields",
          "fields": {
            "benefit_type": "Improved Accessibility"
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Preserved from the existing AIBD record; external sources were not rechecked.",
          "record_fields": [
            "benefit_type"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "outcomes[].claim": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "record_fields",
          "fields": {
            "account": "Noland Arbaugh, paralyzed after a diving accident, received the Neuralink N1 implant at Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, in January 2024 (ABC15, 2 May 2024). He demonstrated online chess and cursor movement by thought. ABC News (17 May 2024) reported that threads retracted from his brain and removal was considered. It quoted him: “I can control a computer just like anyone else can”. Neuralink said it modified the recording algorithm and the translation of signals into cursor movements. Tech Times (28 May 2026) reported roughly 85% of threads retracted about a month after surgery and recovery through software refinement. It gave about 10 hours of daily use for chess, coursework, scheduling and communication at 28 months. Barrow (29 April 2026) reported the second participant, Alex Conley (C4-C5 injury, CONVOY study), controlling a robotic arm to operate light switches and doors. The Debrief (7 July 2025) counted 7 users, 6 implanted at Barrow. Nature news (6 August 2024) noted the device “has been adjusted in a bid to prevent glitches”. No peer-reviewed report of participant outcomes was found in Europe PMC. Neuralink's own blog could not be opened. The implant was in January 2024.",
            "benefit_type": "Improved Accessibility"
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Preserved from the existing AIBD record; external sources were not rechecked.",
          "record_fields": [
            "account",
            "benefit_type"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "outcomes[].distribution": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "outcomes[].duration": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "outcomes[].id": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "outcomes[].stakeholder_group": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "record_fields",
          "fields": {
            "ratings": [
              {
                "group": "personal",
                "depth": 3,
                "reason": "Arbaugh reports computer control “just like anyone else can” and about 10 hours of daily use at 28 months. Conley operates a robotic arm for light switches and doors."
              },
              {
                "group": "organizational",
                "reason": "No organizational outcome reported."
              },
              {
                "group": "societal",
                "reason": "Seven users as of July 2025; no population-level effect."
              }
            ]
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Preserved from the existing AIBD record; external sources were not rechecked.",
          "record_fields": [
            "ratings"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "outcomes[].status": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "outcomes[].tradeoffs": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "outcomes[].unexpected": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "record_fields",
          "fields": {
            "unexpected": false,
            "purpose": "Restore digital autonomy (cursor control, later robotic-arm control) to people with quadriplegia through an implanted brain-computer interface"
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Preserved from the existing AIBD record; external sources were not rechecked.",
          "record_fields": [
            "unexpected",
            "purpose"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "places[]": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "record_fields",
          "fields": {
            "location": "Phoenix, Arizona, USA",
            "developer_country": "United States",
            "deployer_country": "United States"
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Preserved from the existing AIBD record; external sources were not rechecked.",
          "record_fields": [
            "location",
            "developer_country",
            "deployer_country"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "purpose": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "record_fields",
          "fields": {
            "purpose": "Restore digital autonomy (cursor control, later robotic-arm control) to people with quadriplegia through an implanted brain-computer interface"
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Preserved from the existing AIBD record; external sources were not rechecked.",
          "record_fields": [
            "purpose"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "record_dates": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "record_fields",
          "fields": {
            "date_observed": "2024-05-02",
            "revisions": [
              {
                "date": "2026-10-20",
                "change": "Record drafted from the cited sources.",
                "editor": "AIBD"
              },
              {
                "date": "2026-10-21",
                "change": "Added what the benefit is measured against, what happened since from the cited sources.",
                "source": "https://abcnews.com/GMA/Wellness/neuralinks-brain-implant-patient-feared-device-removed/story?id=110325322; https://www.techtimes.com/articles/317356/20260528/neuralink-bci-after-28-months-arbaugh-tells-robotics-summit-what-published-research-cannot.htm",
                "editor": "AIBD"
              },
              {
                "date": "2026-10-21",
                "change": "Country of the developer and the deployer added from the organization's own site or a registry.",
                "source": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuralink; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrow_Neurological_Institute",
                "editor": "AIBD"
              },
              {
                "date": "2026-10-21",
                "change": "Prose pass: a rating reason, account, the system's part rewritten in shorter sentences with abbreviations expanded; facts, figures and quotations unchanged.",
                "editor": "AIBD"
              }
            ]
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Preserved from the existing AIBD record; external sources were not rechecked.",
          "record_fields": [
            "date_observed",
            "revisions"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "replication.attempts[]": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "record_fields",
          "fields": {
            "replication": {
              "produced_by": [
                "Implanted electrode threads in motor cortex",
                "Company decoding software translating neural signals into cursor or robotic-arm commands",
                "Software recalibration after thread retraction"
              ],
              "must_hold": [
                "Electrode threads remain sufficiently in place or software compensates",
                "Daily use continues to be reported by the user",
                "Peer-reviewed outcome reporting (absent so far)"
              ],
              "echoes": [
                {
                  "date": "2026-04-29",
                  "setting": "Alex Conley, second participant, robotic-arm control (CONVOY study) at Barrow",
                  "model_version": "N1",
                  "outcome": "recurred",
                  "source": "https://www.barrowneuro.org/about/news-and-articles/patient-stories/barrow-patient-begins-to-reclaim-independence-with-neuralink-robotic-arm-after-spinal-cord-injury/"
                },
                {
                  "date": "2025-07-07",
                  "setting": "Seven users reported, six implanted at Barrow",
                  "model_version": "N1",
                  "outcome": "unknown",
                  "source": "https://thedebrief.org/neuralink-hits-7-users-as-global-brain-implant-count-remains-under-100/"
                }
              ]
            }
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Preserved from the existing AIBD record; external sources were not rechecked.",
          "record_fields": [
            "replication"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "replication.conditions": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "record_fields",
          "fields": {
            "replication": {
              "produced_by": [
                "Implanted electrode threads in motor cortex",
                "Company decoding software translating neural signals into cursor or robotic-arm commands",
                "Software recalibration after thread retraction"
              ],
              "must_hold": [
                "Electrode threads remain sufficiently in place or software compensates",
                "Daily use continues to be reported by the user",
                "Peer-reviewed outcome reporting (absent so far)"
              ],
              "echoes": [
                {
                  "date": "2026-04-29",
                  "setting": "Alex Conley, second participant, robotic-arm control (CONVOY study) at Barrow",
                  "model_version": "N1",
                  "outcome": "recurred",
                  "source": "https://www.barrowneuro.org/about/news-and-articles/patient-stories/barrow-patient-begins-to-reclaim-independence-with-neuralink-robotic-arm-after-spinal-cord-injury/"
                },
                {
                  "date": "2025-07-07",
                  "setting": "Seven users reported, six implanted at Barrow",
                  "model_version": "N1",
                  "outcome": "unknown",
                  "source": "https://thedebrief.org/neuralink-hits-7-users-as-global-brain-implant-count-remains-under-100/"
                }
              ]
            }
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Preserved from the existing AIBD record; external sources were not rechecked.",
          "record_fields": [
            "replication"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "revision_history[]": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "record_fields",
          "fields": {
            "revisions": [
              {
                "date": "2026-10-20",
                "change": "Record drafted from the cited sources.",
                "editor": "AIBD"
              },
              {
                "date": "2026-10-21",
                "change": "Added what the benefit is measured against, what happened since from the cited sources.",
                "source": "https://abcnews.com/GMA/Wellness/neuralinks-brain-implant-patient-feared-device-removed/story?id=110325322; https://www.techtimes.com/articles/317356/20260528/neuralink-bci-after-28-months-arbaugh-tells-robotics-summit-what-published-research-cannot.htm",
                "editor": "AIBD"
              },
              {
                "date": "2026-10-21",
                "change": "Country of the developer and the deployer added from the organization's own site or a registry.",
                "source": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuralink; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrow_Neurological_Institute",
                "editor": "AIBD"
              },
              {
                "date": "2026-10-21",
                "change": "Prose pass: a rating reason, account, the system's part rewritten in shorter sentences with abbreviations expanded; facts, figures and quotations unchanged.",
                "editor": "AIBD"
              }
            ]
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Preserved from the existing AIBD record; external sources were not rechecked.",
          "record_fields": [
            "revisions"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "sector": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "record_fields",
          "fields": {
            "domain": "Health; assistive technology",
            "segment": "People with quadriplegia (spinal cord injury, ALS)"
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Preserved from the existing AIBD record; external sources were not rechecked.",
          "record_fields": [
            "domain",
            "segment"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "sources[].access_version": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "sources[].citation_locator": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "record_fields",
          "fields": {
            "evidence": [
              {
                "kind": "news report",
                "citation": "ABC15 Arizona, 2 May 2024",
                "title": "Elon Musk's Neuralink begins clinical trials in Phoenix",
                "url": "https://www.abc15.com/news/business/elon-musks-neuralink-begins-clinical-trials-in-phoenix",
                "date": "2024-05-02",
                "written_by": "independent",
                "quote": "a significant milestone that could potentially restore autonomy to millions of adults with unmet medical needs."
              },
              {
                "kind": "news report",
                "citation": "ABC News / Good Morning America, 17 May 2024",
                "title": "Neuralink's first brain implant patient feared device would have to be removed",
                "url": "https://abcnews.com/GMA/Wellness/neuralinks-brain-implant-patient-feared-device-removed/story?id=110325322",
                "date": "2024-05-17",
                "written_by": "independent",
                "quote": "I can control a computer just like anyone else can, which is not something I was able to do beforehand."
              },
              {
                "kind": "press release",
                "citation": "Barrow Neurological Institute patient story, 29 Apr 2026",
                "title": "Barrow Patient Begins to Reclaim Independence With Neuralink Robotic Arm After Spinal Cord Injury",
                "url": "https://www.barrowneuro.org/about/news-and-articles/patient-stories/barrow-patient-begins-to-reclaim-independence-with-neuralink-robotic-arm-after-spinal-cord-injury/",
                "date": "2026-04-29",
                "written_by": "deployer",
                "quote": "Most of us take for granted our ability to interact with the physical world. With this technology, we're giving that back to the patients."
              },
              {
                "kind": "news report",
                "citation": "Tech Times, 28 May 2026",
                "title": "Neuralink BCI After 28 Months: Arbaugh Tells Robotics Summit What Published Research Cannot",
                "url": "https://www.techtimes.com/articles/317356/20260528/neuralink-bci-after-28-months-arbaugh-tells-robotics-summit-what-published-research-cannot.htm",
                "date": "2026-05-28",
                "written_by": "independent",
                "quote": "It sucked. It was really, really hard."
              },
              {
                "kind": "news report",
                "citation": "The Debrief, 7 Jul 2025",
                "title": "Neuralink Hits 7 Users as Global Brain Implant Count Remains Under 100",
                "url": "https://thedebrief.org/neuralink-hits-7-users-as-global-brain-implant-count-remains-under-100/",
                "date": "2025-07-07",
                "written_by": "independent",
                "quote": "Today, Neuralink released a special update that recognized PRIME Study patients' contributions to research"
              },
              {
                "kind": "news report",
                "citation": "Naddaf M, Drew L. Nature 632:481-482 (2024)",
                "title": "Second brain implant by Elon Musk's Neuralink: will it fare better than the first?",
                "url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02368-8",
                "date": "2024-08-06",
                "written_by": "independent",
                "quote": "Device allowing the user to control a computer cursor using their thoughts has been adjusted in a bid to prevent glitches with the first implant."
              }
            ]
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Preserved from the existing AIBD record; external sources were not rechecked.",
          "record_fields": [
            "evidence"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "sources[].id": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "identifiers",
          "identifiers": [
            "AIBD-0263-source-0001",
            "AIBD-0263-source-0002",
            "AIBD-0263-source-0003",
            "AIBD-0263-source-0004",
            "AIBD-0263-source-0005",
            "AIBD-0263-source-0006"
          ],
          "role": "Existing evidence items, in their original order"
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "curatorial",
          "basis": "Stable within the fingerprinted record version; no source content or source review has been added.",
          "record_fields": [],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "complete"
      },
      "sources[].language": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "sources[].relationship": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "record_fields",
          "fields": {
            "evidence": [
              {
                "kind": "news report",
                "citation": "ABC15 Arizona, 2 May 2024",
                "title": "Elon Musk's Neuralink begins clinical trials in Phoenix",
                "url": "https://www.abc15.com/news/business/elon-musks-neuralink-begins-clinical-trials-in-phoenix",
                "date": "2024-05-02",
                "written_by": "independent",
                "quote": "a significant milestone that could potentially restore autonomy to millions of adults with unmet medical needs."
              },
              {
                "kind": "news report",
                "citation": "ABC News / Good Morning America, 17 May 2024",
                "title": "Neuralink's first brain implant patient feared device would have to be removed",
                "url": "https://abcnews.com/GMA/Wellness/neuralinks-brain-implant-patient-feared-device-removed/story?id=110325322",
                "date": "2024-05-17",
                "written_by": "independent",
                "quote": "I can control a computer just like anyone else can, which is not something I was able to do beforehand."
              },
              {
                "kind": "press release",
                "citation": "Barrow Neurological Institute patient story, 29 Apr 2026",
                "title": "Barrow Patient Begins to Reclaim Independence With Neuralink Robotic Arm After Spinal Cord Injury",
                "url": "https://www.barrowneuro.org/about/news-and-articles/patient-stories/barrow-patient-begins-to-reclaim-independence-with-neuralink-robotic-arm-after-spinal-cord-injury/",
                "date": "2026-04-29",
                "written_by": "deployer",
                "quote": "Most of us take for granted our ability to interact with the physical world. With this technology, we're giving that back to the patients."
              },
              {
                "kind": "news report",
                "citation": "Tech Times, 28 May 2026",
                "title": "Neuralink BCI After 28 Months: Arbaugh Tells Robotics Summit What Published Research Cannot",
                "url": "https://www.techtimes.com/articles/317356/20260528/neuralink-bci-after-28-months-arbaugh-tells-robotics-summit-what-published-research-cannot.htm",
                "date": "2026-05-28",
                "written_by": "independent",
                "quote": "It sucked. It was really, really hard."
              },
              {
                "kind": "news report",
                "citation": "The Debrief, 7 Jul 2025",
                "title": "Neuralink Hits 7 Users as Global Brain Implant Count Remains Under 100",
                "url": "https://thedebrief.org/neuralink-hits-7-users-as-global-brain-implant-count-remains-under-100/",
                "date": "2025-07-07",
                "written_by": "independent",
                "quote": "Today, Neuralink released a special update that recognized PRIME Study patients' contributions to research"
              },
              {
                "kind": "news report",
                "citation": "Naddaf M, Drew L. Nature 632:481-482 (2024)",
                "title": "Second brain implant by Elon Musk's Neuralink: will it fare better than the first?",
                "url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02368-8",
                "date": "2024-08-06",
                "written_by": "independent",
                "quote": "Device allowing the user to control a computer cursor using their thoughts has been adjusted in a bid to prevent glitches with the first implant."
              }
            ]
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Preserved from the existing AIBD record; external sources were not rechecked.",
          "record_fields": [
            "evidence"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "sources[].upstream_sources": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "strategic_assessments[]": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "family": "strategic assessments"
      },
      "summary": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "record_fields",
          "fields": {
            "summary": "First PRIME-study participant, implanted at Barrow in January 2024, controls a computer by thought; threads retracted after a month, software fixes restored use; a second user drives a robot arm.",
            "account": "Noland Arbaugh, paralyzed after a diving accident, received the Neuralink N1 implant at Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, in January 2024 (ABC15, 2 May 2024). He demonstrated online chess and cursor movement by thought. ABC News (17 May 2024) reported that threads retracted from his brain and removal was considered. It quoted him: “I can control a computer just like anyone else can”. Neuralink said it modified the recording algorithm and the translation of signals into cursor movements. Tech Times (28 May 2026) reported roughly 85% of threads retracted about a month after surgery and recovery through software refinement. It gave about 10 hours of daily use for chess, coursework, scheduling and communication at 28 months. Barrow (29 April 2026) reported the second participant, Alex Conley (C4-C5 injury, CONVOY study), controlling a robotic arm to operate light switches and doors. The Debrief (7 July 2025) counted 7 users, 6 implanted at Barrow. Nature news (6 August 2024) noted the device “has been adjusted in a bid to prevent glitches”. No peer-reviewed report of participant outcomes was found in Europe PMC. Neuralink's own blog could not be opened. The implant was in January 2024."
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Preserved from the existing AIBD record; external sources were not rechecked.",
          "record_fields": [
            "summary",
            "account"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "systems[].autonomy_permissions": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "systems[].component_role": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "text",
          "text": "The decoder translated neural signals into cursor and robotic-arm movements."
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Restated the mechanical task already described in the existing system and AI-role fields. No new source review is claimed.",
          "record_fields": [
            "system",
            "ai_role"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "systems[].deployment_configuration": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "text",
          "text": "The deployment used the N1 implant."
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Separated the model, software, hardware, or operation already described in the existing record. No new source review is claimed.",
          "record_fields": [
            "model_version",
            "system",
            "ai_role"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "systems[].inputs_outputs": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "systems[].model_name": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "systems[].model_version": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "record_fields",
          "fields": {
            "model_version": "N1"
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Preserved from the existing AIBD record; external sources were not rechecked.",
          "record_fields": [
            "model_version"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial",
        "display": {
          "answer": "Exact release not established.",
          "editor_note": ""
        }
      },
      "systems[].product_name": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "record_fields",
          "fields": {
            "system": "Neuralink N1 implant with cursor-decoding software (PRIME study; CONVOY study for the robotic arm)"
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Preserved from the existing AIBD record; external sources were not rechecked.",
          "record_fields": [
            "system"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "systems[].provider": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "structured",
          "data": {
            "application_developer": "Neuralink"
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Mapped from the existing case description without a new external source review.",
          "record_fields": [
            "developer"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "taxonomy_crosswalks[]": {
        "state": "not_assessed",
        "review_state": "not_assessed",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "title": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "record_fields",
          "fields": {
            "title": "Neuralink N1 lets Noland Arbaugh control a cursor and play chess by thought; use continues at 28 months",
            "headline": "Neuralink N1 lets Noland Arbaugh control a cursor by thought"
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Preserved from the existing AIBD record; external sources were not rechecked.",
          "record_fields": [
            "title",
            "headline"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      },
      "version": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "identifiers",
          "identifiers": [
            "d701b505fcf2a7e40abec2baad8a8c81616e8858ce3393b5fa06088622199c9b"
          ],
          "role": "SHA-256 of normalized original case data"
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "curatorial",
          "basis": "Deterministic content version assigned by the local migration.",
          "record_fields": [],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "complete"
      },
      "workflow": {
        "state": "value_present",
        "value": {
          "kind": "record_fields",
          "fields": {
            "account": "Noland Arbaugh, paralyzed after a diving accident, received the Neuralink N1 implant at Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, in January 2024 (ABC15, 2 May 2024). He demonstrated online chess and cursor movement by thought. ABC News (17 May 2024) reported that threads retracted from his brain and removal was considered. It quoted him: “I can control a computer just like anyone else can”. Neuralink said it modified the recording algorithm and the translation of signals into cursor movements. Tech Times (28 May 2026) reported roughly 85% of threads retracted about a month after surgery and recovery through software refinement. It gave about 10 hours of daily use for chess, coursework, scheduling and communication at 28 months. Barrow (29 April 2026) reported the second participant, Alex Conley (C4-C5 injury, CONVOY study), controlling a robotic arm to operate light switches and doors. The Debrief (7 July 2025) counted 7 users, 6 implanted at Barrow. Nature news (6 August 2024) noted the device “has been adjusted in a bid to prevent glitches”. No peer-reviewed report of participant outcomes was found in Europe PMC. Neuralink's own blog could not be opened. The implant was in January 2024.",
            "replication": {
              "produced_by": [
                "Implanted electrode threads in motor cortex",
                "Company decoding software translating neural signals into cursor or robotic-arm commands",
                "Software recalibration after thread retraction"
              ],
              "must_hold": [
                "Electrode threads remain sufficiently in place or software compensates",
                "Daily use continues to be reported by the user",
                "Peer-reviewed outcome reporting (absent so far)"
              ],
              "echoes": [
                {
                  "date": "2026-04-29",
                  "setting": "Alex Conley, second participant, robotic-arm control (CONVOY study) at Barrow",
                  "model_version": "N1",
                  "outcome": "recurred",
                  "source": "https://www.barrowneuro.org/about/news-and-articles/patient-stories/barrow-patient-begins-to-reclaim-independence-with-neuralink-robotic-arm-after-spinal-cord-injury/"
                },
                {
                  "date": "2025-07-07",
                  "setting": "Seven users reported, six implanted at Barrow",
                  "model_version": "N1",
                  "outcome": "unknown",
                  "source": "https://thedebrief.org/neuralink-hits-7-users-as-global-brain-implant-count-remains-under-100/"
                }
              ]
            }
          }
        },
        "provenance": {
          "kind": "legacy_record",
          "basis": "Preserved from the existing AIBD record; external sources were not rechecked.",
          "record_fields": [
            "account",
            "replication"
          ],
          "source_refs": []
        },
        "review_state": "record_mapped",
        "coverage": "partial"
      }
    },
    "summary": {
      "total": 91,
      "addressed": 91,
      "known": 32,
      "reviewed": 0,
      "record_mapped": 32,
      "not_assessed": 59,
      "complete": false,
      "by_state": {
        "value_present": 32,
        "not_reported": 0,
        "unresolved": 0,
        "not_assessed": 59,
        "not_applicable": 0,
        "withheld": 0,
        "source_unavailable": 0
      }
    }
  }
}