UK Man Using Elon Musk's Neuralink Brain Chip Says It "Feels Magical"

Sebastian Gomez-Pena, who received Elon Musk's Neuralink brain chip as part of a trial, calls the experience "magical". Gomez-Pena is a medical student, but an accident left him paralysed from the neck down. After receiving the chip, he can now navigate his laptop, scroll through research papers, and switch windows with ease.

"It is a massive change in your life when suddenly you can no longer move any of your limbs," he said as quoted by Sky News, further adding that "this kind of technology gives you a new piece of hope".

Gomez-Pena is one of the seven people who have received the chip in the UK trial. "Everyone in my position tries to move parts of their body to see if there is any form of recovery," he said.

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The Neuralink chip, implanted in Gomez-Pena's brain, connects to 1,024 electrodes that capture nerve signals and transmit them wirelessly to a computer, where AI interprets his thoughts. It was fitted in a five-hour operation at University College London Hospital (UCLH).

"Now I can think of moving my hands to the right, to the left and the technology understands what I want it to do - and it does it."

According to the company's official website, "people are using Neuralink devices" in clinical trials "to control computers and robotic arms with their thoughts".

"This technology will restore autonomy to those with unmet medical needs and unlock new dimensions of human potential. The 8-month trial aims to help people with severe paralysis control digital devices using their thoughts," the website stated.

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The trial, part of Neuralink's PRIME study, involves 21 participants worldwide with severe paralysis. While early results are promising, the technology raises questions about safety, privacy, and human-machine integration.

"Brain-computer interfaces hold tremendous potential for alleviating the devastating impact of neurological conditions such as paralysis, loss of speech, and blindness," William Muirhead, consultant neurosurgeon at NHNN and Principal Investigator at UCLH, said as quoted by The Sun.

"In an increasingly digital world, the ability to navigate technology is a vital aspect of personal agency. By restoring this capability, we can provide a powerful way to return autonomy to those with severe paralysis."