Neuralink has just been granted permission to test a new device that could help blind people see.
Billionaire Elon Musk’s neuroscience company Neuralink has just announced a new breakthrough in the medical field, the Blindsight implant, a device capable of restoring vision to people who have lost both eyes.
The experimental implant was granted “breakthrough device” designation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on September 18. According to Elon Musk, the device could not only help people who have lost their vision due to accidents or illness, but could also bring light to people who are 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 blind, as long as their visual cortex is intact.
Neuralink researches Blindsight solution to help blind people see again. (Source: Internet)
However, Mr. Musk also noted that initially, the images that users see will be low-resolution, similar to classic video game graphics. But he believes that with the development of technology, Blindsight could provide vision even better than natural vision, allowing users to see in spectral bands such as infrared or ultraviolet.
Blindsight has not yet been tested on humans and there is no information on when clinical trials will begin. However, this is an important step forward, bringing hope to millions of blind people around the world.
In addition to Blindsight, Neuralink is also testing another implant that would allow quadriplegics to control digital devices with their thoughts. The company was founded in 2016 by Elon Musk and a team of leading scientists and engineers in the fields of neuroscience, biochemistry, and robotics.
Previously, Neuralink successfully developed a chip that helps restore body control to paralyzed people and has been approved by the FDA for human testing.
With these breakthroughs, Neuralink is gradually realizing the goal of connecting the human brain with computers, opening up limitless possibilities for the future of medicine and technology.