Tech billionaire Elon Musk’s brain-chip startup company Neuralink has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for an experimental implant device called Blindsight. The device is claimed to enable people who have lost both their eyes to see. Neuralink is creating chip interfaces to overcome disabilities such as vision loss, paralysis and communication challenges. Musk said in a post on X that Neuralink’s Blindsight device will enable people who have lost both their eyes and optic nerves to see. Provided that the visual cortex remains intact, it will also enable people who are blind from birth to see for the first time.
Musk also said that initially this vision will be in low-resolution, just like in old video games. He jokingly described it as ‘Atari graphics’. But gradually this technology can be better than natural vision and through this a person will be able to see infrared, ultraviolet and even radar waves. In the tweet, he also posted a picture of Geordi La Forge, a character from the science fiction TV series Star Trek, who is blind from birth, but uses various technical devices, which allows him to see.
Confirming the FDA approval, Neuralink said that Blindsight has received the Breakthrough Device Designation from the US government body. The FDA’s Breakthrough Device Designation is granted to certain medical devices that provide treatment or diagnosis of non-life-threatening conditions. It is intended to accelerate the development and review of devices currently under development.
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.
To set expectations correctly, the vision… https://t.co/MYLHNcPrw6 pic.twitter.com/RAenDpd3fx
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 17, 2024
