A woman who has been fully paralyzed for 20 years has become the first female Neuralink patient to control a computer using only her thoughts, marking a major milestone for Elon Musk’s brain implant company.
Audrey Crews, a Louisiana resident paralyzed in a car crash at age 16, shared her breakthrough online, including a video of her writing her name on a computer screen for the first time since 2005.
World-First for Female Neuralink Patient
Crews underwent surgery earlier this month at the University of Miami Health Center, where surgeons implanted Neuralink’s quarter-sized N1 brain chip on her motor cortex.
The chip uses 128 ultra-thin threads and over 1,000 electrodes to detect and transmit brain signals. The signals are then translated into computer commands via Bluetooth, allowing Crews to move a cursor, type, draw, and scroll—using only her thoughts.
‘The Future Is Here’
Crews shared updates on X, showing off her progress as she practiced writing, drew hearts and flowers, and even took art requests from followers.
“I tried writing my name for the first time in 20 years. I’m working on it. Lol,” she wrote.
In a follow-up, she added: “Not in all my wildest dreams, but the future is here.”
Working on my accuracy and speed. #Neuralink pic.twitter.com/LHEILHydIE
— Audrey Crews (@NeuraNova9) July 26, 2025
Though the BCI can’t restore her ability to walk, Crews said it has restored a sense of freedom and plans to write a book about her journey.
Musk Responds to Breakthrough
Neuralink, co-founded by Musk in 2016, aims to treat brain and spine conditions—and eventually merge humans with AI. Musk praised the progress, posting: “She is controlling her computer just by thinking. Most people don’t realize this is possible.”
Still in Early Trials
Crews is the ninth person to receive the Neuralink implant, joining others with paralysis and neurological conditions like ALS. The first recipient, Noland Arbaugh, needed adjustments after the chip’s threads retracted from his brain.
The device is still in early testing, and long-term safety and performance are being evaluated. For now, Neuralink’s system is limited to specific motion-based tasks like cursor control—not full mind reading.
Still, for Crews and others, the implant has given back something priceless: a sense of independence once thought to be lost forever.
