By Ghazali Ibrahim
One of the first people in the UK to receive Elon Musk’s Neuralink brain implant says the technology feels “magical” and could radically change life for people living with severe paralysis.
Sebastian Gomez-Pena, a former medical student, is among the volunteers taking part in the first UK clinical trial of the brain-computer interface developed by Musk’s company, Neuralink. After an accident left him paralysed from the neck down, Seb says the implant has given him something he thought he might never regain: independence.
“When you suddenly lose the ability to move any part of your body, it completely changes your life,” he said. “This kind of technology gives you a new sense of hope.”
Seb had just finished his first term at medical school when the accident occurred. Today, he is one of seven participants in the UK trial, which is focused on testing the safety and reliability of the device.
The implant was fitted during a five-hour operation at University College London Hospital (UCLH). While British surgeons and Neuralink engineers were involved, the procedure itself was carried out by Neuralink’s specialised R1 robot, designed to precisely insert tiny electrodes into delicate brain tissue.
The chip connects to 1,024 microscopic electrodes placed about four millimetres into the area of Seb’s brain responsible for hand movement. These electrodes transmit nerve signals through ultra-thin threads far thinner than a human hair to a small chip embedded in his skull.
Using artificial intelligence, the system wirelessly interprets Seb’s brain signals and converts them into actions on a computer. Simply thinking about moving his hand causes a cursor to move or a mouse click to register on screen.
“Everyone in my position tries to see if there’s any sign of recovery,” Seb said. “Now, when I think about moving my hand, it’s amazing to see that something actually happens. You just think it and it does it.”
During a demonstration, Seb effortlessly navigates his laptop, scrolling through research papers, highlighting text, and opening windows as smoothly as someone using a mouse or trackpad.
His doctors, seeing the results for the first time since he mastered the device, were visibly impressed.
“It’s mind-blowing to see the level of control he has,” said Mr Harith Akram, a neurosurgeon at UCLH and lead investigator for the UK trial.
Although the technology shows promise, experts caution that it is still in its early stages. Neuralink has spent nearly a decade developing the implant, surgical robot, and AI software needed to meet regulatory standards. The first human implant took place in the United States two years ago, and so far 21 people across the US, Canada, the UK and the UAE have received the device.
All participants have severe paralysis caused by spinal injuries, strokes, or neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS. Results from the trials have not yet been published in peer-reviewed journals or formally submitted to regulators. Neuralink declined to be interviewed but granted media access to the UK trial.
Despite the caution, Mr Akram believes the technology could be transformative. “For patients with severe neurological disabilities, there are very few options to improve independence,” he said. “In a world so dependent on technology, this could be a real game-changer.”
