Elon Musk’s brain-chip company Neuralink’s vision-restoring device, most appropriately named Blindsight, is designed to let even individuals who have lost both eyes and their optic nerves to regain sight

On Tuesday, Neuralink announced that its experimental implant designed to restore vision has received USFDA’s ‘breakthrough device’ designation. This momentous milestone marks a critical step forward in the development of Neuralink’s cutting-edge technology aimed at treating serious medical conditions.

USFDA awards the breakthrough device designation to what?

The USFDA (US Food and Drug Administration) awards the breakthrough device designation to medical innovations that offer diagnosis or treatment for irrevocably debilitating or life-threatening conditions. The aim is to hasten the development and review process of these devices, offering hope for patients facing lack of treatment options.

Neuralink’s vision-restoring device can restore sight of even those blind from birth

Neuralink’s vision-restoring device is meant to allow individuals who have lost both eyes and their optic nerves to recover sight. Musk, in a post on his social media platform X (formerly Twitter) said, “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 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.”

However, the company has yet to tell when Blindsight will enter human trials

However, the company has yet to divulge when Blindsight will enter human trials, and the USFDA has not provided further comment. Neuralink, founded by Musk and a team of engineers in 2016, is developing a brain-chip interface (BCI) that can be implanted within the skull. The company makes tall claims about this technology and states that it has the potential to help patients with disabilities move, communicate, and now, reinstate their vision. The chip processes and transmits neural signals, which can be transferred to external devices like smartphones or computers.

Mind control tech advances

In parallel, Neuralink is testing yet another implant meant to give paralysed patients the capability to control digital devices using their thoughts. This innovative technology could give a new lease of life to those with spinal cord injuries. A trial is set to assess the device’s effectiveness with three patients over several years, as per the US government’s clinical trials database. Earlier this year, the company successfully implanted its brain-chip in a second patient, who is now employing it to play video games and learn 3D design — offering a glimpse into the future of BCI.