Imagine losing the ability to speak or move, but still having too much to say.
For Brad G. Smith, this became his reality, a rare and progressive disease after being diagnosed with ALS, attacking the nerves that control voluntary muscle movement.
But Smith is now able to use his mind to communicate with the world due to the groundbreaking neural brain implants.
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ALS patient Brad G. Smith and his family. (Bradford G. Smith/X)
Received Neuralink implantsSmith relies on eye tracking technology to communicate. Although impressive, it brings significant limitations. "It's a marvel of technology, but it's frustrating. It works best in a dark room, so I'm basically Batman. I'm stuck in a dark room," Smith shared Latest posts on X. A bright environment can damage the system, making communication slow and sometimes impossible. Now, Smith said: “Nerve acceptance let me go out and ignore the lighting changes.”
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Brad G. Smith, a patient with ALS. (Bradford G. Smith/X)
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Smith is the first non-verbal person and the third person in the world to accept the Neuralink Brain Computer Interface (BCI). The device is as thick as five stacked coins, located in his skull, connected to the motor cortex - the part of the brain that controls movement.
The small wire is thinner than a person's hair and extends to Smith's brain. These pick up signals from his neurons and transmit them wirelessly to his MacBook Pro. The computer then decodes the signals, causing Smith to move the cursor across the screen with only his ideas.
As Smith explained “The Neuralink implant embedded in my brain contains 1024 electrodes, producing a large amount of data every 15 milliseconds, capturing neuronal emissions. The AI processes this data on a connected MacBook Pro to decode my expected motion in real time to move the cursor on the screen. Neuralink doesn't read the deepest thoughts or words I've come to mind. It just reads how I want to move and move the cursor where I want it. ”
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Neuralink brain implant. (Bradford G. Smith/X)
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Learning to use the system requires some trial and error. At first, the team tried to map Smith's hand movements to the cursor, but it didn't work well. After more research, they found that the signals associated with his tongue were the most effective signals for the cursor movement and the most effective clicking of his chin was held tightly. "I didn't actively think about my tongue, just like you don't think about your wrist when you move the mouse. I do a lot of cursor movements in my life. I think my brain has quickly turned to subconscious control, so I just think about moving the cursor,“ Smith said.
ALS patient Brad G. Smith and his wife and children. (Bradford G. Smith/X)
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Neuralink implants provide Smith with a new way to interact with his family and the world. Now he can play games like this with his kids and communicate faster than before. The system includes a virtual keyboard and shortcuts for common operations, making tasks such as copying, pasting and navigating web pages easier.
Smith also worked with Neuralink engineers to develop the "parking space" function for the cursor. “Sometimes you just want to park your cursor and watch the video. When it's in the parking space, I can watch a show or take a nap without worrying about the cursor” He explained.
ALS patient Brad G. Smith and his children. (Bradford G. Smith/X)
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To further speed up communication, Smith used Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok. Groke helped him write the answer, even put forward a witty answer. “We created a chat app that uses AI to listen to conversations and gives me the option to respond. It uses Grok 3 and an AI clone of my old voice to generate the options I want to say. It wasn't perfect, but it got me involved in the conversation and came up with some great ideas. ” Smith shared. An example? When a friend needs the idea of giving Aima’s girlfriend a gift, the AI suggests a bouquet of carrots.
ALS patient Brad G. Smith and his family. (Bradford G. Smith/X)
Smith's journey was not only influenced by technology. He considers his wife Tiffany the "best carer I can imagine" and recognizes the support of his children, friends and family. Despite the challenges ALS faced, Smith found meaning and hope in his faith. He said: "I don't always understand why God is suffering from ALS, but over time I'm learning the plan for me to trust Him. Because of ALS, I'm a better man. Because of ALS, I'm a better disciple of Jesus Christ. Because of ALS, I'm a better wife literally and figuratively closer to my wonderful wife because ALS is because of ALS," he said.
ALS patient Brad G. Smith and his family. (Bradford G. Smith/X)
Neuralink's technology is still in its early stages, but Smith's experience is already on the tide. The company recently received the Food and Drug Administration’s “breakthrough” name for its brain implant devices, a designation that hopes to help people with severe speech disorders caused by ALS, stroke, spinal cord injury and other neurological diseases.
Neuroethicists are paying close attention as the merger of brain implants and AI raises important questions about privacy, autonomy, and the future of human communication.
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ALS patient Brad G. Smith and his family. (Bradford G. Smith/X)
Smith's story is about restoration, creativity, and the power of technology that is as basic as communication skills. As Smith said, “Neuralink provides me with freedom, hope and faster communication. Overall, the experience throughout Neuralink is great. It improves my life. I’m excited to be involved in some of the big things that will help many people.” As Smith said, while ALS “really sucks,” his journey shows how innovation and determination can bring light to the darkest rooms. Perhaps most importantly, it reminds us of every breakthrough, real people, real families and real hope stories.
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