By Marshall Bwanya
Maryland, US – Elon Musk’s brain-chip startup, Neuralink, has received the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) “breakthrough device” designation for the company’s experimental implant, Blindsight.
This groundbreaking Blindsight device is designed to restore vision in individuals with complete or partial blindness, even those with non-functional optic nerves.
Musk, taking to his X (formerly Twitter) platform, announced that Blindsight could potentially enable people who have lost both eyes and their optic nerve to see, provided their visual cortex remains intact.
“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,” wrote Musk on his Twitter account.
Musk likened Blindsight device to the fictional Star Trek character Geordi La Forge’s device called the Visot which enables him to “see” much of the electromagnetic spectrum – radio waves, infrared, ultraviolet, and beyond.
“To set expectations correctly, the vision will be at first be low resolution, like Atari graphics, but eventually it has the potential be better than natural vision and enable you to see in infrared, ultraviolet or even radar wavelengths, like Geordi La Forge,” Musk explained.
The Blindsight device uses a chip that processes and transmits neural signals, which can then be interpreted by external devices like computers or phones.
Neuralink, was co-founded by Musk in 2016, specializes in developing innovative brain-computer interfaces to treat neurological disorders.
The company has been making significant strides in its research, with recent reports of successful brain-computer interface implants in human patients.
These implants have enabled participants to control video games and create 3D designs using only their thoughts.
The FDA’s breakthrough device designation provides Neuralink with expedited review and potential regulatory pathways, bringing the company closer to making its vision-restoring technology available to those in need.
