CEO of Tesla and founder of Neuralink, Elon Musk, revealed that his brain-chip company has secured approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for a groundbreaking experimental device designed to restore sight, even for individuals who have lost both eyes and their optic nerve.
Named “Blindsight,” the Neuralink device is a significant advancement in neural technology.
Musk shared the news via a tweet on Wednesday, noting that this innovation could potentially restore vision to those who have been blind since birth, as long as the visual cortex remains functional.
He explained, “The Blindsight device from Neuralink will enable even those who have lost both eyes and their optic nerve to see. Provided the visual cortex is intact, it will even enable those who have been blind from birth to see for the first time.”
Musk tempered expectations, stating that the initial visual output will resemble “low-resolution, like Atari graphics,” but hinted at the technology’s potential to surpass natural vision in the future.
Musk added, “It will even enable you to see in infrared, ultraviolet or even radar wavelengths, like Geordi La Forge,” referring to the iconic character from *Star Trek*. The billionaire also tweeted an image of La Forge, who uses advanced technology to overcome his congenital blindness.
Neuralink confirmed the FDA’s Breakthrough Device Designation for Blindsight, a recognition given to medical devices that address life-threatening conditions or serious unmet needs.
This designation is intended to accelerate the development and review process for critical devices.
This announcement follows Neuralink’s plans to provide brain chip implants to eight new patients by the end of the year, part of its broader efforts to help paralyzed individuals interact with digital devices solely through their thoughts.
Neuralink’s ambition extends beyond vision restoration, aiming to revolutionize treatments for various neurological disorders.
