The boundary between human thought and machine control is dissolving. In what represents a significant leap for assistive technology, a paralysed man has used a brain implant to write computer code and pilot a radio-controlled aircraft.
I used the Neuralink to write code for an Arduino to allow me to control an RC airplane with a quad stick. The possibilities are truly endless. Thank you Elon and the entire team at Neuralink. I am honored to be part of such a great program. @neuralink pic.twitter.com/VLnNi7n6Ex
— Alex Conley (@Bcidesign) November 9, 2025
Alex Conley, 29, lost the use of his limbs in a car accident that damaged his C4 and C5 vertebrae. The former automotive technician received a Neuralink brain implant at Arizona’s Barrow Neurological Institute in July 2024, becoming the company’s second trial participant.
Since then, Conley has been learning to program Arduino microcontrollers and fly RC aircraft using only his thoughts. In footage from Neuralink’s Summer 2025 update, he demonstrated piloting a radio-controlled aeroplane by combining his brain interface with a mouth-operated QuadStick controller. “With the BCI, I wrote code. I wanted the plane with the quad stick,” Conley explained.
The technology detects electrical signals from neurons through ultra-thin threads, each finer than a human hair, implanted in Conley’s brain. These signals are wirelessly transmitted to external devices via Bluetooth.
Within minutes of connecting the implant to his computer, Conley surpassed previous records for brain-computer interface cursor control. He now uses CAD software to design 3D objects and plays first-person shooters like Counter-Strike 2, aiming with his thoughts whilst moving with his mouth controller simultaneously.
Conley is also the first person to control a robotic arm via Neuralink, performing everyday tasks like turning on lights and opening doors. He has even operated a Tesla Optimus robot hand through thought alone. “I was a very creative person before my accident,” he said. “Having the BCI allows me to push the boundaries of what I can create.”
Alex Conley, who has a spinal cord injury, was the 2nd patient to undergo neurosurgery at Barrow to receive @Neuralink's N1 Implant as part of the PRIME Study. Now, also enrolled in CONVOY, Alex is the 1st to use the brain-computer interface (BCI) device to control a robotic arm. pic.twitter.com/MxBcwJ5c1j
— BarrowNeurological (@BarrowNeuro) October 28, 2025
The implant has remained stable, unlike the company’s first patient who experienced electrode retraction. Improved surgical techniques, including reducing the gap between implant and brain surface, have prevented complications.
Dr Michael Lawton, Barrow Neurological Institute’s president and CEO, confirmed the technology’s practical applications, noting Conley “can manage a robotic arm that allows him to turn on a light switch, open a door, or move something in front of him.”
Neuralink has now implanted devices in nine patients globally, conducting trials across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. The company aims to perform 20 to 30 additional procedures by year’s end. Several participants have spinal cord injuries, whilst others are living with ALS.
Watch the latest update from the Neuralink team. pic.twitter.com/mQzpTehqov
— Neuralink (@neuralink) June 27, 2025
The field is growing rapidly, with competitors including Synchron and Blackrock Neurotech also conducting human trials using different approaches.
What began as assistive technology for those with paralysis may eventually reshape how all humans interact with machines. As brain-computer interfaces advance from cursor control to complex coding and real-time piloting, the question shifts from whether humans can control technology with thought alone, to what becomes possible when the speed of human intention matches the speed of digital execution.
