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Neuralink Show & Tell Fall 2022 News Roundup [Live Coverage]

(Credit: Neuralink)

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Neuralink’s 2022 Show & Tell is about to begin. The event is supposed to update the public on Neuralink’s progress and attract talent to the company. 

Teslarati will be closely following the event. Please refresh this page for the latest coverage.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently posted about the event and hinted at an exciting update on Neuralink.

In the intro video of Neuralink’s Show and Tell event, Pager the monkey seems to be learning to type words with his mind.

Elon Musk enters the stage and welcomes everyone to the event. Wasting no time at all, Musk dives into Neuralink’s Show and Tell, starting with the company’s goals. Neuralink’s goal is to make a generalized I/O interface for the brain that could help people with debilitating conditions.

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Musk hints that some of the topics covered during the event will reach an esoteric level. He reaffirms that Neuralink is confident that its device will help people suffering with brain injuries along the way to bridging the gap between computers and the human brain.

“We are confident that this point we will succeed at solving many brain injury issues spine injury issues along the way,” he said.

Musk shows a video of Pager playing “Monkey Mind Pong.” The video was released about 18 months ago. The Tesla CEO emphasizes that Neuralink’s device is not outwardly obvious to others.

Pager initially learned to play Pong with a joystick. Neuralink later took the joystick away and had Pager play Pong with his mind though Neuralink’s device.

Human Trials

Musk reminds the audience that going from prototype to production is difficult and has many challenges. Neuralink has been working hard to start human trials. The company has submitted all the papers needed to start human trials to the FDA. Musk estimates that the first Neuralink device could be inside the human brain in 5-6 months.

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Elon Musk emphasizes that Neuralink treats its animal subjects with respect. The company does extensive benchmark tests before implanting a Neuralink device into an animal.

Another Neuralink monkey, Sake, is typing with his brain. Sake spelled out the Neuralink event’s welcome tag: “Welcome to show and tell.”

Neuralink Upgradeability

Both Sake and Pager have successfully implanted with Neuralink’s upgraded device.

“Upgradeability is very important because our first production device will be much like an iPhone 1 and pretty sure you would not want an iPhone 1 stuck in your head if the iPhone 14 is available,” Elon Musk.

Neuralink Application

Elon Musk says that Neuralink can restore vision, even on someone who was born blind. The company is also confident that the Neuralink device can restore full functionality to a severed spinal cord.

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Recruitment

“If you have expertise in creating advanced devices, like watches and computers, then your abilities will be of great use in solving these problems,” Musk said.

Neuralink Implant and Surgical Robot

Elon Musk passes the baton to DJ, who has been at Neuralink since the beginning. DJ talks about creating a high bandwidth generalized interface to the brain. He talks about safety, scalability and access to brain regions, the three pillars to get high bandwidth generalized interface to the brain.

DJ talks about the Neuralink implant (the N1) with thin threads N1 implant is about the size of a quarter. It has 1,024 channels that are capable of recording and stimulating.

He also talks about Neuralink’s surgical robot (the R1 Robot) that will help implant the company’s device into the brain. Neuralink does a live demo of the R1 robot at work with dummy patient Alpha.

Neuralink has a double operating room (OR) in Austin. The company plans to establish its own clinic in the future.

“Neuralink’s been working closely with the FDA to get approval to launch its first clinical human trial in the US hopefully in the next 6 months,” noted DJ.

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Neuralink Software

Neuralink has been working on improving cursor speed and accuracy since 2021. The speed and accuracy has improved, but Neuralink is still working on improving it. The company is also working on a mouse and keyboard interfaces to work with Neuralink N1.

Neuralink is training monkeys to write so it can get rid of digital keyboards and increase the typing rate when patients use the N1 implant to write with their minds.

Neuralink N1 Charging

Neuralink has improved the battery of the N1 since its last event. The new charger is uses an Aluminum battery base with 6.78 MHz drive circuit for double the battery life.. Neuralink charges the N1 implant wirelessly.

Neuralink is working on a third generation charger with a bidirectional near field communication.

Neuralink N1 Development

N1 contains a small micro processor. Neuralink conducts hill tests on the N1. Testing became a bottleneck so the team created a new system, allowing it to rapidly test new hardware in the N1 implant, greatly accelerating its development.

Neuralink has developed its own system to rigorously test its implant designs.

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R1 Robot Development

Nueralink’s R1 robot will help neurosurgeons implant the N1 chip. As the company continues to improve the R1 robot, it will perform more of the surgery. Neuralink developer, Christine, explained that the R1 robot could make the N1 implant surgery more affordable in the future.

Neuralink Next Generation Application

Dan explains the Neuralink’s potential capability to restore eyesight. Neuralink inserted the N1 into the visual cortex of two monkeys named Code and Dash. By observing Code and Dash, Neuralink can record the receptive fields of their visual fields.

“Our goal will be to turn the lights on for someone who spent decades living in the dark,” said Dan.

After Dan, Joey comes up to talk about Neuralink’s application for people with severed spinal cords. Neuralink has conducted tests showing that it can stimulate movement in animals through multiple implants: the N1 in the brain and implants in the spinal cord.

Elon Musk comes back on stage joined by the Neuralink team to answer questions.

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Question Round

Elon Musk states that Neuralink does plan to provide some of its research and technology to research universities and hospitals after receiving FDA approval.

Musk says that Neuralink would consider open-sourcing its data sets. The company could publish them on its website.

Neuralink is working on making the electrode of the N1 implant smaller to prevent scar tissue and inflammation response.

Elon Musk hints that the N1 chip might be able to detect health conditions or monitor people’s health status in the future.

Neuralink is focusing on improving the longevity of the N1 device’s threads at the moment. However, the company appears determined to continue improving the N1 implant with no end date in sight.

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Neuralink monkeys adapt and learn to utilize the N1 chip fairly quickly.

“Right now we’re just guessing at a lot about what’s going on in the brain. But if you have direct I/O, there’s no more guessing. What we will learn about the brain with such a device–in wide use–is many orders of magnitude than we currently understand,” Musk said, ending the Neuralink event on that note.

Below is the link to the livestream. 

Maria--aka "M"-- is an experienced writer and book editor. She's written about several topics including health, tech, and politics. As a book editor, she's worked with authors who write Sci-Fi, Romance, and Dark Fantasy. M loves hearing from TESLARATI readers. If you have any tips or article ideas, contact her at maria@teslarati.com or via X, @Writer_01001101.

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Tesla adjusts one key detail of Robotaxi operations in Austin

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Tesla is adjusting one key detail of Robotaxi operations in Austin: service hours.

Tesla’s Robotaxi platform in Austin has been active since late June and has been running smoothly since then. It has its limits, as Tesla has set hours that Robotaxis can operate, as well as a distinct Service Area, also known as a geofence, which has expanded three times already.

While the geofence is currently approximately 170 square miles in size, Tesla has recently enabled freeway drives, which also necessitated an adjustment to the company’s strategy with its “Safety Monitors.”

Tesla explains why Robotaxis now have safety monitors in the driver’s seat

Traditionally, they sit in the passenger’s seat. During highway driving, they move to the driver’s seat.

These are just a few adjustments that have been made over the past two and a half months. Now, Tesla is adjusting the service hours of Robotaxi operation in Austin, but only slightly.

Tesla will now operate its Robotaxi ride-hailing service from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m., extending the hours by two hours. It previously shut down at midnight.

Tesla has implemented a variety of safeguards to ensure riders and drivers are safe during Robotaxi rides, and they have made it a point to adjust things when they feel confident that it will not cause any issues.

Many people have been critical of Robotaxi, especially because a person sits in the front of the car.

However, an accident or some type of mistake could do more damage to the autonomous travel sector than anything else. This would not just impact Tesla, but any company operating an autonomous ride-hailing service in the country.

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Tesla Model Y ownership two weeks in: what I love and what I don’t

With any new car, I don’t really find things I dislike within the first few months; the novelty of a shiny new vehicle usually wears off eventually.

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Credit: Tesla

I am officially two weeks into Tesla ownership, having picked up my Model Y Long Range All-Wheel-Drive on Saturday, August 30. I have many things I really love, and I’ll do my best to come up with a few things I don’t, although I find that to be very difficult currently.

With any new car, I don’t really find things I dislike within the first few months; the novelty of a shiny new vehicle usually wears off eventually. In the past, I’ve had a car I only kept for nine months, but I loved it for the first two months. I am sure down the road, some things about the Tesla will bother me, but right now, I don’t have too much to complain about.

As for the things I love, I’ll try to keep it to just five, and as I continue to write about my ownership experience in the coming months, I’ll see if these things change.

A Quick Rundown

In the two weeks I have had my new Model Y, I have driven 783 miles. I have driven it manually, used Full Self-Driving, navigated tight city streets in Baltimore, and driven spiritedly on the winding back roads of Pennsylvania.

I traded my ICE vehicle for a Tesla Model Y: here’s how it went

I have had the opportunity to put it to the test in a variety of ways, and I feel like I have a great idea of this car and how it handles and drives just two weeks in.

What I Love About My Tesla Model Y

I am only going to pick a handful of things, but do not take this list as a complete one. I truly have so many things I love about this car, but I want to mention the ones that are not necessarily “novelties.” I love the A/C seats, but it’s not something I feel deserves a mention here, because it would not likely sway someone to consider the car.

Instead, I want to highlight what I feel are things that truly set the Model Y apart from cars I’ve had in the past.

Tesla Full Self-Driving

Available on all Teslas, Full Self-Driving is something I use every day. It is not only a convenience thing, but it is also truly a fun feature to track improvements, and it’s been fun to show a lot of my friends who are not familiar with its capabilities just how safe and impressive it is.

My Fiancè and I have watched Full Self-Driving make slight changes in performance in the two weeks we’ve been using it. I tracked one instance on a Pennsylvania back road when the car stopped at an “Except Right Turn” Stop Sign. Initially, the car stopped, holding up traffic behind it. Just days later, FSD proceeded through that same Stop Sign cautiously, but without coming to a complete stop, which is the proper way to navigate through it.

This quick adjustment was very impressive, and it even caught the attention of my better half. I will say it has been very fun to watch her fall in love with this car after being very reluctant to watch me get rid of our Bronco Sport.

The Handling

Tesla refined the suspension with the new Model Y, and you can surely feel it. Coming from a larger SUV, I did miss being able to really push the limits of my car on a beautiful, sunny, and warm day, and the winding roads of Pennsylvania are calling me for a drive.

The way this car hugs turns and genuinely puts a smile on my face when I’m pushing it. Dare I say I like driving it more than I like it driving me?

Interior Storage

One of my biggest complaints about my Bronco Sport was that, despite being an SUV, it felt smaller than it was supposed to be. I had trouble fitting golf bags and luggage in the back without having other storage options. It led me to install a roof rack and get a cargo container. I would have to put longer clubs in the back seat so the bags could lie without clubs getting bent.

I don’t seem to have a significant problem with this in the Model Y. Plus, the frunk and the additional cargo under the floor of the trunk are great for bags and other things. It offers 10 cubic feet more of space with the seats down than the Bronco Sport does.

The Entertainment

Not only is the sound system in this car absolutely unbelievable, but I also really enjoy the Tesla Theater, which is really something that has revolutionized how we spend our time in the car.

Charging at the Superchargers has become a new way for us to spend time together. Even if it’s just 30 minutes, my Fiancé’s busy work schedule at the hospital means we don’t get to spend as much time together as we would like. The charging lets us go grab a snack, watch a movie or show in the car, and just be with each other.

It’s honestly my favorite thing about the car so far, that we’ve both truly enjoyed what it has done for us. It put a smile on my face to hear her say, “It’s just so much fun to be in this car” last night when we met friends for dinner.

What I Don’t Love

I’m just going to get nitpicky here, because I don’t have much to complain about.

The Paint

I love the Diamond Black, and it gets so many compliments. However, it sure does get dirty fast. I feel like I’m going to have to invest in a car wash membership or set aside time each week to clean it. This is not a Tesla-specific problem, of course.

Climate Control

Another “first-world problem,” but sometimes I do have trouble getting the A/C to go right where I need it. I feel like, to feel the air, I have to put the fan speed to 7 or higher.

Swing Mode has been a real savior in this sense, but my Fiancè sometimes complains that my cold air will hit her when she’s already freezing. I think this is just something I need to get used to, as the vents are significantly different than any other car. It’s really not that bad, but it is worth mentioning that we’ve both said we are still adjusting to it early on.

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Cybertruck

Tesla brings closure to head-scratching Cybertruck trim

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(Credit: Tesla)

Tesla has ended the production and sale of a Cybertruck trim level that had many people scratching their heads. The move comes after slow sales on the trim, as many Cybertruck buyers opted for other configurations that seemed to be a better value for the money.

On Friday, Tesla officially brought closure to the Long Range Rear-Wheel-Drive configuration of the Cybertruck, a build that was introduced earlier this year at a lower price point than its All-Wheel-Drive counterparts, but missed many of the key features that made the Cybertruck, the Cybertruck.

Tesla Cybertruck RWD production in full swing at Giga Texas

Rolling the variant out at a price of $69,990, only $10,000 less than that of the All-Wheel-Drive configuration. However, it was also void of many other things:

  • Single Motor
  • Textile Seats instead of Leather
  • 7-Speaker Audio System instead of 15-Speakers
  • No Rear Touchscreen
  • No Powered Tonneau Cover for Truck Bed
  • No 120v/240v outlets

For $79,990, just $10,000 more, owners could receive all of these premium features, plus a more capable All-Wheel-Drive powertrain, which truly made this Rear-Wheel-Drive build of the Cybertruck a sitting duck for criticism.

It was simply not enough meat for the price, and demand was evidently low. From those I spoke to, orders were few and far between; people simply found more value in the All-Wheel-Drive configuration based solely on the additional motor. Adding all the premium interior and functionality features made it a no-brainer.

In a way, it seems Tesla was overly optimistic about the Rear-Wheel-Drive configuration of the Cybertruck, but even after it was launched, plenty of loyal fans were confused by it:

The Cybertruck is a great vehicle, and it is among the best vehicles in the company’s lineup. However, it really missed a price point for the Rear-Wheel-Drive configuration that was effective enough to drive people toward it. Many said they would have considered it if Tesla could have brought the price down into the high $40,000 or low $50,000 range.

I took a Tesla Cybertruck weekend Demo Drive – Here’s what I learned

It seems it just did not have the appeal to keep up. Now, Tesla has the All-Wheel-Drive and Cyberbeast for $72,490 and $114,990, respectively.

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