Neuralink Successfully Installs Implant in Second Trial Patient - 1

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Neuralink Successfully Installs Implant in Second Trial Patient

  • Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
  • Fact-Checked by

The American neurotechnology company Neuralink successfully installed its second implant in another human, according to a report shared this Wednesday on its website. The new participant is now able to play video games and is learning to design 3D objects with computer-aided design (CAD).

“This marks another significant step towards providing a high-performance interface that will enhance the control of digital devices for people with quadriplegia to help restore their autonomy,” wrote the company in the report.

Alex—only the patient’s first name has been revealed—became the second patient to be part of the startup’s PRIME Study and had surgery at the Barrow Neurological Institute last month. The procedure “went well” and the company shared more details of the results. “I’m already super impressed with how this works,” said Alex.

Neuralink’s first patient, Noland Arbaugh, encountered a medical problem with retracted threads, reported in May, but this time, as explained in the report, experts took measures to reduce thread retraction like “reducing brain motion during the surgery and reducing the gap between the implant and the surface of the brain.”

According to the report, the implant was installed last month and in less than 5 minutes Alex could control the computer cursor with his mind. In just a few hours, the patient could achieve all tasks and quickly surpass all the tests in the company’s game called Webgrid created to measure success in this procedure. Later, the patient used his new abilities to play the game Counter-Strike 2. The patient was discharged only one day after the surgery.

Since the surgery, Neuralink has been working with Alex to improve his capabilities and help him create and achieve his goals. Alex was an automotive technician before his spine cord injury and had always wanted to learn how to design 3D objects using CAD. He used the CAD software Fusion 360 on the second day of the implant installation and has been building and designing a custom mount for his Neuralink charger.

The company shared a YouTube video showing how he designed the mount.

And another one of Alex playing Counter-Strike 2:

Neuralink said they are working to improve future participants’ experiences.

Gmail’s Gemini Tools Introduce “Polish” Feature For Email Refinement - 2

Image by Diedryreyes3456, from Pixabay

Gmail’s Gemini Tools Introduce “Polish” Feature For Email Refinement

  • Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor

Google has just updated its Gemini writing tools within Gmail. These enhancements are designed to streamline email drafting for users with Google One AI Premium or the Gemini Workspace add-on.

A new “Polish” option has been added to the existing “Help me write” feature. This allows users to refine their drafts with more precision.

Since last August, Gmail’s “ Help me write ” feature has offered generative AI assistance for email creation. Users can now choose from options like “Formalize,” “Elaborate,” and “Shorten” to adjust their messages. The new “Polish” option, available on both web and mobile, further refines the message, turning rough draft notes into formal emails

When starting a new email draft, a “Help me write” shortcut will now appear in the body of the email. If the draft contains 12 or more words, a “Refine my draft” shortcut will be shown below the text, offering options to polish, formalize, elaborate, or shorten the draft, or even start a new one.

As these features continue to evolve, they are expected to further enhance productivity and ease of communication for Gmail users.