Podcast Episode
The twenty-three-year-old received Neuralink's N1 Implant during a five-hour operation at University College London Hospital as part of the GB-PRIME study. The chip connects to over one thousand electrodes implanted approximately four millimetres into his brain's motor cortex, with the device placed by Neuralink's R1 surgical robot designed to insert microscopic electrode threads thinner than a human hair.
"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," he told reporters. Observers watched as his cursor navigated research papers he was studying for medical school exams, highlighting text and switching between windows as quickly as someone using a traditional mouse.
Harith Akram, the consultant neurosurgeon at UCLH leading the UK trial, described the results as 'mindblowing' and called the technology 'a game-changer for patients with severe neurological disability'.
While early results appear promising, Neuralink's findings have yet to be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, and longer-term questions about safety, privacy, and human-machine integration remain to be addressed through larger trials.
UK Man Calls Neuralink Brain Chip 'Magical' After Life-Changing Trial
January 29, 2026
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Sebastian Gomez-Pena, a British medical student left paralysed from the neck down after an accident, has become one of seven UK participants in Elon Musk's Neuralink brain chip trial. He describes the technology as 'magical', demonstrating the ability to control a computer cursor simply by thinking about moving his hands.
Former Medical Student Regains Digital Independence
Sebastian Gomez-Pena had just completed his first term at medical school when a devastating accident left him paralysed from the neck down. Now, as one of seven UK participants in Elon Musk's Neuralink brain chip trial, he's experiencing what he calls a 'new piece of hope' for people with severe paralysis.The twenty-three-year-old received Neuralink's N1 Implant during a five-hour operation at University College London Hospital as part of the GB-PRIME study. The chip connects to over one thousand electrodes implanted approximately four millimetres into his brain's motor cortex, with the device placed by Neuralink's R1 surgical robot designed to insert microscopic electrode threads thinner than a human hair.
Thought-Controlled Technology
The implant wirelessly transmits nerve signals to a computer, where artificial intelligence software interprets the brain's electrical activity. When Gomez-Pena thinks about moving his hand, the signals translate into cursor movements or mouse clicks."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," he told reporters. Observers watched as his cursor navigated research papers he was studying for medical school exams, highlighting text and switching between windows as quickly as someone using a traditional mouse.
Harith Akram, the consultant neurosurgeon at UCLH leading the UK trial, described the results as 'mindblowing' and called the technology 'a game-changer for patients with severe neurological disability'.
Global Expansion
UCLH confirmed that all seven UK participants underwent surgery between October and December last year. Worldwide, Neuralink now has twenty-one participants enrolled across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates. The company reports no serious device-related adverse events to date.While early results appear promising, Neuralink's findings have yet to be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, and longer-term questions about safety, privacy, and human-machine integration remain to be addressed through larger trials.
Published January 29, 2026 at 6:29pm
