Neuralink patient feeds himself with brain-controlled robot arm, over 10,000 ALS patients sign up to waiting list
Published on Oct 16, 2025 at 10:47 AM (UTC+4)
by Molly Davidson
Last updated on Oct 16, 2025 at 2:00 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
A Neuralink patient with ALS has successfully fed himself with the help of a brain-controlled robot arm, sparking a wave of new sign-ups flooding the waitlist.
The moment has gone viral across X, formerly Twitter, showing what the company’s brain implant can already do in the real world.
It’s the latest in a series of breakthroughs showing how quickly Neuralink’s technology is evolving.
And thousands of people with paralysis are now hoping for the same chance at independence.
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The breakthrough Neuralink moment
Nick Wray, who has ALS, shared a clip of himself directing a brain-controlled robotic arm to pick up a cup and bring a straw to his mouth.
That movement heralded a new kind of freedom he hadn’t felt in years.
“The best part is that I’ll be able to talk with my hands again,” he said.
As of right now, the video has racked up more than 23 million views, and it’s still climbing.
According to Neuralink president DJ Seo, more than 10,000 people have now signed up for the company’s waitlist.
The current trial includes 12 patients, all living with ALS or spinal cord injuries that prevent hand use, with plans to reach 25 by the end of the year.
Some use their chips for seven hours a day, one already logging more than 100 hours a week.
ALS took Nick’s arm mobility. Now, he can control a robotic arm with his Neuralink device to feed himself.
— Neuralink (@neuralink) October 11, 2025
“Life with my BCI has been and continues to be so surreal and so rewarding. Can’t wait to see what comes next!” pic.twitter.com/jInvprOyAr
Neuralink says these early results show just how quickly the human brain can adapt to a machine.
And how far the tech has come since its first human trials.
Neuralink’s next era is already underway
It’s just the latest in a string of breakthroughs for the company.
Earlier this year, Neuralink expanded to Canada with two successful brain implants for patients with spinal injuries.
They were the first procedures performed outside the US, and a major step toward global testing.
Soon after, the company hit another milestone, completing two surgeries in a single day while advancing new devices designed to restore speech and sight.
And before Wray’s clip went viral, a paralyzed woman wrote her name for the first time in 20 years using a Neuralink chip.
Proof that the same interface can already translate thought into precise movement.
Signatures, movement, independence – it’s all proving that Neuralink’s experiments are no longer theory.
They’re lived experiences.
For now, Wray’s story is a glimpse of what the future looks like as technological advancements continue.
And with more than 10,000 people now waiting for the same chance, that small act of self-reliance might be the most powerful demo Neuralink’s ever done.
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Molly Davidson is a Junior Content Writer at Supercar Blondie. Based in Melbourne, she holds a double Bachelor’s degree in Arts/Law from Swinburne University and a Master’s of Writing and Publishing from RMIT. Molly has contributed to a range of magazines and journals, developing a strong interest in lifestyle and car news content. When she’s not writing, she’s spending quality time with her rescue English staffy, Boof.
