Neuralink now has 21 people controlling computers with their minds
Two years after its first implant, the Telepathy chip is adding patients in four countries.
Two years after its first human implant, Neuralink reports there are now 21 participants in its clinical trials worldwide.
On January 28, 2026, Elon Musk's company announced it has 21 people enrolled in its trials, up from the 12 it reported in September. The implant, called Telepathy, is designed for people with paralysis from spinal cord injuries or diseases such as ALS.
The N1 device records brain signals with more than 1,000 electrodes spread across ultrathin threads, thinner than a hair, which the company's own surgical robot places in the brain. With it, participants control cursors and computers with their thoughts and, in some cases, robotic arms. The first patient uses it to play video games, browse the internet and post on social media.
Neuralink says its trials aim to understand variation between participants and improve the hardware and surgery, and that it has recorded no serious device-related adverse events. In the United Kingdom, UCLH hospital's GB-PRIME study already has seven patients operated on between October and December 2025.
Key facts
- 21 participants worldwide, up from 12 in September 2025.
- Trials in the US, Canada, the UK and other countries.
- More than 1,000 electrodes in the N1 implant.
- The FDA rejected the first application in 2022; human trials began in 2024.
For 2026, the company plans a next-generation device and the Blindsight system for blind people, still pending approval.
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