Audrey Cruz, a participant in Neuralink’s human trials, has amazed the internet by becoming the first woman to control a computer entirely with her mind using the company’s brain-computer interface. After being paralyzed for more than 20 years, Cruz was able to digitally write her name on a screen—an emotional milestone shared in a widely circulated post on X (formerly Twitter). Her post included a photo showing the name “Audrey” handwritten in purple, created not with her hands, but purely through brain signals interpreted by the Neuralink chip.
Responding to Cruz’s achievement, Elon Musk tweeted: “She’s controlling the computer just by thinking. Most people still don’t realize this is possible.” Cruz later explained how the technology works. The implant, which is about the size of a quarter, was surgically embedded in her motor cortex. Doctors drilled a hole in her skull and inserted 128 tiny threads into her brain to capture and decode her neural activity.
However, Cruz clarified that the device doesn’t restore physical movement. “This implant won’t make me walk again,” she wrote. “It’s just for telepathy—controlling digital interfaces through thought.” Cruz, who lost motor function at the age of 16, has become a symbol of hope for many, demonstrating how emerging neurotechnology could transform communication and digital interaction for individuals with physical disabilities.
