UK Man Plays Video Games Using Only His Mind After N-Link Implant

A man in the United Kingdom is now controlling a computer and playing video games using only his thoughts after receiving a brain-computer interface (BCI) from Elon Musk’s company, Neuralink. The man, identified as Paul, is the first person outside of North America to receive the implant. The groundbreaking procedure took place earlier this month at University College London Hospitals (UCLH). 

Paul, who is paralysed due to motor neurone disease (MND), was reportedly able to control a computer just hours after the surgery. He is already working with Neuralink engineers to test the implant's capabilities. This includes browsing the internet, posting on social media, and playing his favourite strategy video game, Dawn of War. The breakthrough aims to restore digital autonomy to people living with severe paralysis. 

Neuralink confirmed the milestone in a post on X. "We're excited to announce our first participant in the UK!" the company stated. "He's now working with our engineers to explore using the implant to play his favourite video games... and perform other tasks that could enrich and restore autonomy in his daily life."

The technology, known as "the Link", is a small chip with 64 ultra-thin threads that was inserted into Paul's brain by Neuralink's R1 surgical robot. These threads detect neural signals, which are then translated into digital commands, allowing him to operate a computer cursor or keyboard with his mind alone.

How The Neuralink Implant Enables Mind-Controlled Gaming

This UK operation follows the first-ever human implant in the United States in 2023. That patient, Noland Arbaugh, who was paralysed in a diving accident, gained widespread attention for using his implant to play games like Civilization VI and Mario Kart. With Paul's inclusion, Neuralink now has 13 human participants in its clinical trials, which are active in the US, UK, Canada, and the UAE.

The procedure is part of Neuralink's ongoing PRIME Study, which focuses on helping patients with quadriplegia or paralysis from conditions like spinal cord injuries and MND. In July, Neuralink announced it would launch this clinical study in Great Britain, partnering with UCLH and Newcastle Hospitals to conduct the research.

Neuralink is one of several companies developing BCIs to create interfaces between the human brain and machines. It has raised more than $1 billion and was valued at $9 billion in its most recent funding round. The company has ambitious goals. As per reports, it aims to implant its chips in 20,000 people per year by 2031 and generate at least $1 billion in annual revenue.

Beyond helping people control computers, Neuralink is also working on chips to restore vision, treat Parkinson’s, and read speech from the brain. The company’s president, Dongjin “D.J.” Seo, recently mentioned a trial planned for October aimed at helping people with speech impairments translate their thoughts directly into text, enabling them "to go directly from brain to voice without any keyboards in between."