Wu Xiaotian underwent pioneering brain-computer interface surgery to treat depression. Overcoming a 16-year struggle with the debilitating disease, Wu’s implanted neurostimulator and electrodes became his “emotional switch,” reigniting his ability to feel happiness. Wu, among the first batch of patients to undergo this technique, shares details about his transformative experience and the impact it has had on his life, as well as his pre-surgery journey and his family’s concerns. He further describes the significance of the implant’s “work-rest mode,” which has revitalized his emotions and social interactions and given him the ability to manage a successful guesthouse, helping him to reclaim a meaningful life beyond depression.

Reporters: He Kai and Yuan Lu; video editors: Wu Jiaying and Lü Xiao; interns: He Jiaqi, Zuo Yuyao, and Jiang Lüyue.