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Neuralink’s Blindsight, a device that consists of a microelectrode array implanted in the visual cortex of the brain, was named a “breakthrough device” by the US FDA last year.
Elon Musk’s brain chip company Neuralink hopes to have Blindsight, an artificial visual prosthesis, implanted in a human for the first time by the end of 2025.
“We’re hoping, later this year, to have a first device implant for humans, enabling someone who is completely blind to see,” the tech mogul stated in response to a question from an audience member during his Town Hall on Sunday night in Wisconsin.
Musk warned against having high expectations for the implant, stating that Blindsight will initially only be able to provide blind people low-resolution vision “like Atari Graphics.” Musk stated on stage that the implant would eventually allow for superhuman eyesight after initially having very low resolution. Additionally, he stated that the device has been effectively functioning in monkeys for a few years.
Musk stated in an X post that Blindsight is intended to “enable even those who have lost both eyes and their optic nerve to see.” “It will even enable those who have been blind from birth to see for the first time,” he added.
How The Neutral’s Blindsight Device Works
The blindsight technology comprises a microelectrode array inserted into the cortex in the brain. The cortex is the area of the brain that processes visual information. According to reports, the device can activate neurons or nerve cells in the cortex in response to patterns transmitted by a camera.
In September of last year, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designated the experimental device as a “breakthrough” device. Medical gadgets that cure or diagnose life-threatening illnesses are awarded the FDA’s breakthrough tag. Experts caution that the certification does not imply that Neuralink’s Blindsight is a treatment for blindness. As per a Reuters article, its objective is to expedite the development and evaluation of devices that are presently in the process of being developed.
A Brief History of Neuralink
Elon Musk co-founded Neuralink in 2016 to revolutionize neurological disease treatments through the development of cutting-edge brain-computer interfaces. One of its products is a brain implant that analyzes neural signals and sends them wirelessly to computers and mobile devices, among other gadgets.
Neuralink is also working on an implant that would allow paraplegic people to operate electronic equipment with their thoughts. This could become a real technology in the near future. The company is reportedly working with three volunteers in a clinical trial to assess how well the device can help people with spinal cord injuries.
A patient had Neuralink’s brain-computer interface implanted in him in a 2024 trial. The patient can now operate video games and make 3D creations with just their thoughts.
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Neuralink’s “Blindsight” Designated a Breakthrough Device by the FDA
