What it is: The N1 is the brain chip made by Neuralink. It’s the tiny chip they put inside a person’s skull to read brain signals.
Who it’s for: Anyone trying to understand Neuralink news
Best if: You’ve heard ‘N1’ and don’t know what it means
Skip if: You work in neurotechnology
The N1 is the first real chip Neuralink built for people. The “N” stands for Neuralink. The “1” means it’s their first try.
What it looks like
- About the size of a quarter
- Thinner than most people guess
- Sealed so body fluids can’t get in
- Has 1,024 tiny threads (thinner than hair) that go into the brain
- Runs on a small battery that charges through your skin
What it does
The threads listen to brain cells firing. When you think “move right,” certain cells fire. The N1 picks that up, turns it into a signal, and sends it out over Bluetooth to a phone or computer.
Who has one
By early 2026, Neuralink had put the N1 in a small number of people. All of them are paralyzed. Neuralink calls this the “PRIME Study.” Each person gets the chip, learns to use it, and helps Neuralink improve the next version.
The N1 is one kind of Brain-Computer Interface (BCI). Other companies make different kinds.
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