A Vancouver police sergeant with ALS has become the first Canadian to receive a Neuralink brain-computer implant, gaining the ability to control digital devices with his thoughts.
Sergeant Lee Marten underwent surgery at Toronto Western Hospital in May as part of the CAN-PRIME clinical trial approved by Health Canada. He is the 26th person worldwide to receive a Neuralink implant and the first to have the procedure performed using the company’s next-generation surgical robot, which inserts electrode threads directly through the brain’s outer protective layer.
Neuralink’s N1 implant sits in the region of the brain responsible for planning movements. It uses thin, flexible electrodes that decode neural activity, allowing users to control computers and smartphones simply by intending to move.
Marten, who retained enough hand function to operate his electric wheelchair, can now control his phone and laptop using thoughts alone after the implant. Two other Canadians, both quadriplegic, have also received the device.
The four-year CAN-PRIME trial is evaluating the N1 implant and R1 surgical robot in patients with cervical spinal cord injury or ALS who have a life expectancy of at least 12 months. The trial is a milestone for Neuralink’s expanding global clinical program.
